Hot Air Balloons

Masha and Patsy are our names, and riding high is our game! We're fascinated by the grace and speed of colorful, gigantic hot air balloons. To learn more about these massive beauties, we went to the Snowmass Hot Air Balloon Festival in Colorado. We were wondering how something bigger than a house can lift off the ground. Our question: How does hot air lift things?

How would you investigate this question?
For this investigation you'll want to think about what materials you'll need to make a model hot air balloon. Secondly, spend some time thinking about how you'll measure how much the balloon model can lift. Make decisions about just how hot you need the air to be, and how you are going to measure that. Pay attention to variable such as the size of the balloon, the materials you use to make it, and the temperature of the air where you are doing your testing. Describe your investigation in your notebook and discuss it with your teacher, or go to Hot Air Balloons to check out Masha and Patsy's investigation.