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    HSB Weather in A Terrarium (TR) S

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    Suzy Awad
    The document describes an experiment to measure changes in temperature, humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure inside a terrarium over a 24-hour period. Students will set up data collection equipment in the terrarium to record these measurements every 2 minutes. They will then analyze the data by creating graphs of the measurements over time and calculating minimum, maximum, and average values, as well as percent changes. This will help students understand the relationships between different weather factors and how the microclimate in the terrarium may differ from conditions outside.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    HSB Weather in A Terrarium (TR) S

    Uploaded by

    Suzy Awad
    24 views5 pages
    The document describes an experiment to measure changes in temperature, humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure inside a terrarium over a 24-hour period. Students will set up data collection equipment in the terrarium to record these measurements every 2 minutes. They will then analyze the data by creating graphs of the measurements over time and calculating minimum, maximum, and average values, as well as percent changes. This will help students understand the relationships between different weather factors and how the microclimate in the terrarium may differ from conditions outside.

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    HSB Weather in a Terrarium (TR) S

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    The document describes an experiment to measure changes in temperature, humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure inside a terrarium over a 24-hour period. Students will set up data collection equipment in the terrarium to record these measurements every 2 minutes. They will then analyze the data by creating graphs of the measurements over time and calculating minimum, maximum, and average values, as well as percent changes. This will help students understand the relationships between different weather factors and how the microclimate in the terrarium may differ from conditions outside.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    24 views5 pages

    HSB Weather in A Terrarium (TR) S

    Uploaded by

    Suzy Awad
    The document describes an experiment to measure changes in temperature, humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure inside a terrarium over a 24-hour period. Students will set up data collection equipment in the terrarium to record these measurements every 2 minutes. They will then analyze the data by creating graphs of the measurements over time and calculating minimum, maximum, and average values, as well as percent changes. This will help students understand the relationships between different weather factors and how the microclimate in the terrarium may differ from conditions outside.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    Name Period Date

    Weather in a Terrarium

    Driving Questions
    What changes occur to temperature, absolute and relative humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure in the
    microclimate of a terrarium in a 24-hour period? How are the changes in these factors of weather related?

    Background
    Weather is a daily “snapshot” of the atmosphere at a specific
    place and time. Earth’s atmosphere can be divided into six
    layers: the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere,
    thermosphere, and exosphere. Of these layers, the troposphere
    (6 to 10 miles thick) is closest to the earth’s surface and is
    home to the factors that contribute to the complex system
    known as weather. In the troposphere, the sun warms the air,
    increasing the kinetic energy of the gas molecules. These
    consequently rise and are replaced by colder air molecules.
    This process of convection creates winds and transports
    clouds.

    Three main constituents of weather include temperature,


    moisture (humidity), and air pressure.

    Temperature, measured in units of degrees Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F) is related to the average kinetic
    energy of molecules. Dew point is the temperature at which water vapor starts to condense in air at the existing
    atmospheric pressure and water vapor content.

    Humidity is a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air. Meteorologists describe humidity using several
    terms, including absolute humidity, relative humidity, and specific humidity. Relative humidity is the amount of
    water vapor in the air compared to the amount the air could hold if it was totally saturated at that temperature.

    Atmospheric pressure is the force of air molecules upon the earth’s surface. Differences in pressures between
    air masses cause the air mass to move, resulting in a change of weather.

    A terrarium can serve as a model of a microclimate—a small region that has its own weather patterns.

    Materials and Equipment

    For each student or group:


     Data collection system  Small box or other support
     Weather anemometer sensor  Terrarium (or suitable alternative)
     Extension cable

    Safety
    Follow all standard laboratory procedures.

    1
    Weather in a Terrarium

    Procedure
    After you complete a step (or answer a question), place a check mark in the box () next to that step.

    Note: When you see the symbol "�" with a superscripted number following a step, refer to the numbered Tech
    Tips listed in the Tech Tips appendix that corresponds to your PASCO data collection system. There you will find
    detailed technical instructions for performing that step. Your teacher will provide you with a copy of the
    instructions for these operations.

    Set Up

    1.  Start a new experiment on the data collection system. �(1.2)

    2.  Connect the weather sensor to the extension cable. Connect the extension cable to the data collection
    system. �(2.1)

    3.  Change the sample rate so that the sensor records 1 data point every 2 minutes. �(5.1)

    4.  Choose two variables to display on your data collection system (for example: one graph of
    Temperature versus Time and another of Barometric pressure versus Time. �(7.1.11)

    Note: The weather sensor records many different measurements simultaneously. If needed, your
    teacher can guide you in displaying other variables.

    5.  Place the terrarium in a well-lit area (near a window), but not in direct sunlight.

    6.  Place a small box or other support in the terrarium.

    7.  Place the weather sensor on a small box or support.

    Note: Make sure that the end of the sensor extends beyond the edge of the support so that air can flow
    past the sensor.

    Collect Data

    8.  Start recording data. �(6.2)

    9.  Adjust the scale of the graph to show all data. �(7.1.2)

    10.  Record data for 24 hours.

    11.  At the end of 24 hours, stop recording data. �(6.2)

    12.  Save your experiment, �(11.1) and clean up according to your teacher's instructions.

    2 PS-2890
    Student Worksheet

    Data Analysis

    1.  Make a sketch of your data for Temperature versus Time. Label the overall graph, the x-axis, the y-
    axis, and include units on the axes.

    2.  Make a sketch of your data for Relative Humidity versus Time. Label the overall graph, the x-axis, the
    y-axis, and include units on the axes.

    3
    Weather in a Terrarium

    3.  Make a sketch of your data for Dew Point versus Time. Label the overall graph, the x-axis, the y-axis,
    and include units on the axes.

    4.  Use available tools to find the minimum, maximum and average � (9.4) temperature, relative humidity,
    dew point, absolute humidity and barometric pressure. Record your data in Table 1 below. Then
    calculate the percent change over time.

    Table 1: Measurements for temperature, humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure

    Measurement Minimum Maximum Average % Change

    Temperature
    (°C)

    Relative Humidity

    Dew Point
    (°C)

    Absolute Humidity (grams


    per cubic meter)

    Barometric Pressure
    (inches of mercury)

    4 PS-2890
    Student Worksheet

    Analysis Questions

    1. Which factor changed the most over 24 hours?

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

    2. Which factor changed the least?

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

    3. What connections can you make between the outside weather and the weather inside the terrarium
    during the 24-hour period? Why might they be different?

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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