Earth's+Atmosphere

__**Up, Up, and Away!**__


 * You have just been hired by NASA to be the director(s) of their new program, the Solar and Wind Energy Atmospheric Project. You will be managing all aspects of SWEAP and you are the chief engineer(s) of the voyage. NASA wants SWEAP to design a vehicle that will carry you and your team from Point A to Point B, using solar energy and air currents. While on board, you will conduct a weather-related experiment of your own design and implementation. Your budget is $1,000,000. As you plan, consider the following:**

What does your vehicle look like, what is it to be made out of, and why? What will you name it? What kinds of professional people do you want on your team, and what will each of their jobs be? Where is your launching point and your destination? How __exactly__ will your vehicle be able to get from Point A to Point B, using solar and wind energy? If you also use another form of natural energy, how is that going to work? What will be your altitude at various stages in the journey? What effect will those altitudes have on the humans and on your vehicle? What is the weather-related experiment your team would like to conduct? What problems might you encounter, and what are their solutions? How much does your project cost? Consider all expenses. If you decide to include a motor/engine, how __exactly__ does it work? Remember, your top priority is to use solar energy and air currents, so a motor can NOT be your sole source of power.


 * After you plan your voyage, assume NASA approved it and you were able to take SWEAP up into the atmosphere. Report back to NASA about the success of your project, outlining the following in your report:**


 * 1) What your vehicle looked like, with all parts labeled.
 * 2) Describe the skills and contributions of each member of the team.
 * 3) Include a map that shows your journey.
 * 4) In a Flight Log, describe scientifically how you were able to move from your departure point to your destination. Describe some of the problems you encountered on the trip and what you did to solve them. (Impress the NASA folks with your ingenuity!)
 * 5) Write up the experiment you conducted, along with the results.
 * 6) Itemize your costs, being sure that the total is less than $1,000,000.

Your report is due to NASA by Tuesday, April 24th. If the executive directors of NASA are pleased with your work, they will give you a $10,000 bonus in this month's paycheck!

[|Explore the Atmosphere] Visit this "virtual lab" to get the scoop on the atmosphere of your planet Earth.

[|Leonardo da Vinci's Parachute] Be ready to be inspired by one of the world greatest inventors.

[|National Center for Atmospheric Research] Everything you want to know about the atmosphere is here.

[|How Air Currents are Made] A good intro to the topic.

media type="custom" key="13577694" [|MIT Tech TV] This is my favorite video for showing how the Coriolis Effect works. See how fun college can be?

[|The Great Balloon Race] Read all about it! Would you want to be a part of this challenge?

[|Santa Ana Winds Podcast] Listen to this podcast from NPR to learn about your local weather.

[|NASA's Picture of the Day] Really, just because it's cool and beautiful.

[|Brainpop Movies] These are the movies that are aligned with this chapter's concepts: Air Pollution Clouds Humidity Tides What is Weather?

[|Videos on Solar Energy] You may have to watch these from home, as they might be blocked at school. Great website!

[|Earth in the Universe] This tutorial can help you see a bigger picture.

[|eFlashcards for textbook vocabulary, Ch. 9] This is a great way to build your science vocabulary.

[|Earth's Atmosphere Pretest] Try this quiz to see how much you already know about the Earth's atmosphere.

[] This will teach you about Earth's atmosphere. Try it!