Inflating and deflating balloons

Inflating and deflating balloons

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about the effect of temperature on gases.
balloon for Li's balloon item.png
 
Sonja had her 12th birthday at a ski lodge. A friend gave her a large birthday balloon.
When she went outside into the snow with her balloon it went down (deflated). But, as soon as she went back inside the lodge, it inflated again.

Question 1Change answer

a)  What made the balloon inflate and deflate?

Question 1Change answer

b)  What is happening to the gas particles when the balloon deflates?
Task administration: 
This task can be completed online or with pencil and paper.
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Physical World
Keywords: 
physics concepts, energy, temperature, gas, air, particle nature of matter
Description of task: 
Students answer questions about the size of a balloon as the air temperature changes. The resource assesses students' understanding of the effect of temperature on gases.
Answers/responses: 
 

Y8 (10/1997)
a) The change in temperature. (The helium gas cooled in the cold air outside the lodge, therefore its volume decreased.) moderate
b) The gas particles are moving around less, or moving closer together. very difficult

 

Diagnostic and formative information: 

 

Common error

b)
  • The gas disappears/comes out of the balloon/turns into air – 21% of students.
  • The gas gets cold/freezes – 19% of students.
  • No answer – 20% of students.