PreviewPreview

Balloon Fest Lots of fun!Lots of fun! Learn real science!Learn real science! Work with professional scientists!Work with professional scientists! Compete with students at other high schools!Compete with students at other high schools!

When & WhereWhen & Where

http://Regional.Endeavours.org

Regional Balloon Fest:Regional Balloon Fest:– Saturday, Dec 8, 2013Saturday, Dec 8, 2013– Allan Hancock CollegeAllan Hancock College

httphttp://Championship.Endeavours.org

Championship Balloon Fest:Championship Balloon Fest:– Saturday, Apr 20, 2013Saturday, Apr 20, 2013– Tobin James CellarsTobin James Cellars

Hwy 46 and Union roadHwy 46 and Union road

The ProcessThe Process

Prior to Balloon FestPrior to Balloon Fest RegionalRegionalChampionshipChampionship– Register your team by Register your team by Sep 29 Sep 29 Jan 11Jan 11– Design an experiment. Design an experiment. – Submit draft Experimental Design by Submit draft Experimental Design by Oct 13 Oct 13 Feb 8Feb 8– Discuss with your mentor starting Discuss with your mentor starting Oct 27 Oct 27 Feb 22Feb 22– Perform lab tests to check equipment and procedures.Perform lab tests to check equipment and procedures.– Practice a balloon launchPractice a balloon launch– Refine and improve your experimentRefine and improve your experiment– Document the final design, validation, & procedure byDocument the final design, validation, & procedure by

Nov 24 Nov 24 Apr 5Apr 5 Balloon Fest Balloon Fest Dec 8 Dec 8 Apr 20Apr 20

– Gather & Analyze dataGather & Analyze data– Present resultsPresent results– Celebrate with dinner and awardsCelebrate with dinner and awards– Publish your results Publish your results

Experiment Design ProcessExperiment Design Process Two Options

– Science

– Engineering

Science OptionScience Option Choose an interesting and testable question.

Write a Problem Statement that clearly defines what the question is.

Research the background to this question.

Design an Experiment that will resolve the question– Write several hypotheses around this question.

An hypothesis is a clearly stated explanation for an observable event. “If I do this I expect that to result because …”

– Create at least one test for each hypothesis.A test must be capable of proving an hypothesis false.(i.e. failing the test should give you the confidence to completely reject your hypothesis, while passing it should reinforce your confidence that it may be correct.)

Write all of this into a clear, professional Design document Write all of this into a clear, professional Design document that can be published and shared with your mentor.that can be published and shared with your mentor.

Example Experiment TypesExample Experiment Types • Altitude Profiles:

– a. Barometric Pressure– b. Air Temperature (Temp. Inversions)– c. Humidity– d. CO2 or O2 %– e. Magnetic Intensity– f. Electric Field strength– g. Cosmic Ray Flux– h. Sound frequency attenuation vs altitude

Constant sound generator, microphone, oscilloscope with fourier analysis, printer and computer

More Ideas available on the websiteMore Ideas available on the website

Engineering OptionEngineering Option Choose an interesting and useful problem.

Write a Problem Statement (or Design Brief) that clearly defines what the need is.

Research the background to this problem.

Design a Prototype device or procedure that will address the need. It should include the following:– Product Design Specification (PDS) that details all relevant issues

surrounding the need and limitation on an appropriate solution.

– Alternative designs for potential solutions– Expectations (pros and cons) of each alternative

– Full Drawings and other documentation of the chosen design (how to build it, test it, and how it is expected to perform)

Write all of this into a clear, professional Design document Write all of this into a clear, professional Design document that can be published and shared with your mentor.that can be published and shared with your mentor.

Example Experiment TypesExample Experiment Types • Laser Corner Reflector for laser rangefinder or other studies • Find the point directly below the balloon • Differential GPS to very accurately measure altitude • Trigonometric Altitude measurement

Two or three base stations, solid geometry, simultaneous measurements

• Aerial Pictures or wireless Video for altitude measurementInteresting perspective but also ability to measure altitude by apparent size of image

• Remote SensingAIRSS: Crop Vigor

• Comparison of altitude measurements by barometric pressure, linelength & angle, Laser rangefinder, GPS, Trig, and plate scale. Precision & accuracy.

• Minimum Aneroid Barometer device to determine maximum altitudeOne-way valve to allow air out will sample lowest pressure if T

is const. • Release and track a balloon to measure air movement vs altitude.