TITLE: Hot Air Tissue Paper Balloon
AUTHOR: Roger Kramer, John Baker Elem., Albuquerque, NM
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 4-12, science
OVERVIEW: Students will construct a hot air balloon.
PURPOSE: To learn about hot air balloon flight.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To learn why hot air balloons rise.
2. To learn about combustion.
3. To learn and/or reinforce metric distance measurement
skills.
4. To learn about the importance of careful planning and
conservation when materials are limited.
5. To learn the importance of following directions.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS: 5 sheets of tissue paper (20" x 30"),
1 standard-size manila file folder, 44 cm of galvanized
steel wire, a cotton ball, metric ruler, rubber cement,
cellophane tape, scissors, pencil
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Cut a large tissue paper square 50cm on a side. This
will be the top of the balloon. Then cut a small 1cm
square from each of its corners. This allows you to
make a 1cm x 48cm glue flap on each edge of the square
top. These flaps will be glued to the top edges of the
sides in step 8.
2. Cut rectangular pieces of tissue paper that measure
76cm x 49cm. Then cut off two triangular pieces 30cm x
14cm from one end.
3. Mark a 1cm wide glue flap along four of the edges of
each side.
4. Cut three corner notches on each side.
5. Make the bottom of your balloon by cutting two 20cm
squares from a manila folder. Then cut out their
centers, leaving 1.5cm frames. Put a thin layer of
rubber cement on one side of each frame. When the
cement has completely dried, touch the cemented
surfaces together and they will bond instantly. This
method of gluing surfaces with rubber cement forms the
strongest bond.
6. Punch a small hole in the center of each side of the
frame. These are where the two steel wires which hold
the cotton ball will be attached.
7. Cut two pieces of galvanized steel wire 22 cm long.
Push each wire through the center of a cotton ball and
then attach them to the frame. This cotton ball will
become the heat source of the balloon.
8. Glue the sides and top of the balloon together. Start
by applying a thin coat of the rubber cement to the
surface of part of the glue flap on side #1 and touch
it to the edge of side #2 while it is still wet.
Follow the same procedure, glue #2 to #3, #3 to #4, and
#2 to the top. Next, glue each side to the top and
then glue the edge of #1 to #4
9. Glue the lower edges of the sides together and then
glue the bottoms of the sides to the manila frame.
10. To launch your balloon, gently open it up so it fills
with air. With the help of a partner, hold it in an
upright position and ask your teacher to add the
alcohol fuel to the cotton and light it. As alcohol
burns up, it will slowly fill the balloon with hot
gases (air), causing the total mass of the balloon (the
internal gases and fuel) to decrease. The balloon will
begin to rise out of your hands because the cooler,
heavier air around the balloon will push it up. Let
go! Your balloon will fly very high it you built it
well and the atmospheric conditions are just right.
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