Chemistry

Quick Fact
The Antarctic hole in the ozone layer was announced in 1985 by scientists with the British Antarctic Survey. The hole was discovered via high altitude balloon. The ozone concentration is detected by passing air samples through a dilute solution of potassium iodide to produce a week electrical current proportional to the ozone concentration of the sampled air.

There's more to chemistry than what's done in a laboratory on the Earth's surface. There are many different reactions happening far above us in the edge of space. The differences in temperature and in pressure in the edge of space can alter the properties of matter and the behavior of gasses. Your students shouldn't be limited to experimenting with the immediate world around them. StratoStar offers your students an opportunity to experiment in an environment generally only available to research scientists. There are prime opportunities in near space to teach the concepts of thermochemistry and the effects atmospheric temperature changes will have on your students' experiments.

Characteristics of the environment of near space:

•     Temperature - ground temp to -90c (varies with the seasons).
•     Pressure - sea level (14.7 psi) to 18.5 miles above the earth (0.22 psi).
•     Turbulence - Just like an airplane, the payloads experience turbulence going through the jet stream.
•     Flight Velocities - Payloads can travel up to 200 mph in the jet stream and fall at speeds of over 100 mph.

Your students' chemistry experiment in near-space will make use of these tools:

•     Plug and play flight sensors
•     Temperature
•     Pressure
•     Humidity
•     Geiger Counter
•     Accelerometer
•     Gyroscope
•     Cameras
•     Video
•     Still

Chemistry concepts that can be explored in near-space:

•     Properties of Matter
•     Atomic Structure and Periodic Table
•     Behavior of Gasses
•     Thermochemistry
•     Solutions
•     Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
•     Scientific Writing

Teaching basic theory? Check out these project based learning ideas:
Students can easily study the behavior of gasses with a high altitude weather balloon. The volume of helium in the balloon is set because of the helium tank capacity, and students can use a camera from the experiment box to watch the balloon expand as it ascends into the atmosphere. While the balloon is in flight, students will receive real time measurements the temperature and pressure of the atmosphere from the sensors on board the balloon. The students can then investigate the Ideal Gas Law and Archimedes Principle in a mission-based cross discipline project that meets state standards.

These are just a few examples of what can be done with a StratoStar system. We can help you develop ideas for student experiments that are fun, exciting, and meet state standards. As a StratoStar customer, you will also have access to a network of other educators who have implemented high altitude platform launches in their curriculum.