Name Period Date

Weather in a Terrarium

Driving Questions
What changes occur to temperature, absolute and relative humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure in the
microclimate of a terrarium in a 24-hour period? How are the changes in these factors of weather related?

Background
Weather is a daily “snapshot” of the atmosphere at a specific
place and time. Earth’s atmosphere can be divided into six
layers: the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere,
thermosphere, and exosphere. Of these layers, the troposphere
(6 to 10 miles thick) is closest to the earth’s surface and is
home to the factors that contribute to the complex system
known as weather. In the troposphere, the sun warms the air,
increasing the kinetic energy of the gas molecules. These
consequently rise and are replaced by colder air molecules.
This process of convection creates winds and transports
clouds.

Three main constituents of weather include temperature,

moisture (humidity), and air pressure.

Temperature, measured in units of degrees Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F) is related to the average kinetic
energy of molecules. Dew point is the temperature at which water vapor starts to condense in air at the existing
atmospheric pressure and water vapor content.

Humidity is a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air. Meteorologists describe humidity using several
terms, including absolute humidity, relative humidity, and specific humidity. Relative humidity is the amount of
water vapor in the air compared to the amount the air could hold if it was totally saturated at that temperature.

Atmospheric pressure is the force of air molecules upon the earth’s surface. Differences in pressures between
air masses cause the air mass to move, resulting in a change of weather.

A terrarium can serve as a model of a microclimate—a small region that has its own weather patterns.

Materials and Equipment

For each student or group:

 Data collection system  Small box or other support
 Weather anemometer sensor  Terrarium (or suitable alternative)
 Extension cable

Safety
Follow all standard laboratory procedures.

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Weather in a Terrarium

Sequencing Challenge
The steps below are part of the Procedure for this lab activity. They are not in the right order. Determine
the proper order and write numbers in the circles that put the steps in the correct sequence.

Clean up all Analyze your Set up the Gather all Collect

equipment and data and weather sensor in materials and temperature,
put everything compare your the terrarium. equipment to humidity and
away. results with your perform the pressure data.
predictions. activity.

Procedure
After you complete a step (or answer a question), place a check mark in the box () next to that step.

Note: When you see the symbol "�" with a superscripted number following a step, refer to the numbered Tech
Tips listed in the Tech Tips appendix that corresponds to your PASCO data collection system. There you will find
detailed technical instructions for performing that step. Your teacher will provide you with a copy of the
instructions for these operations.

Set Up

1.  Start a new experiment on the data collection system. �(1.2)

2.  Connect the weather sensor to the extension cable. Connect the extension cable to the data collection
system. �(2.1)

3.  Change the sample rate so that the sensor records 1 data point every 2 minutes. �(5.1)

4.  Choose two variables to display on your data collection system (for example: one graph of
Temperature versus Time and another of Barometric pressure versus Time. �(7.1.11)

Note: The weather sensor records many different measurements simultaneously. If needed, your
teacher can guide you in displaying other variables.

5.  Place the terrarium in a well-lit area (near a window), but not in direct sunlight.

6.  Place a small box or other support in the terrarium.

7.  Place the weather sensor on a small box or support.

Note: Make sure that the end of the sensor extends beyond the edge of the support so that air can flow
past the sensor.

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 Student Inquiry Worksheet

8.  Of temperature, absolute humidity and barometric pressure, which do you predict will have the greatest
percentage change in a 24-hour period?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

9.  Of temperature, absolute humidity and barometric pressure, which do you predict will have the least
percentage change in a 24-hour period?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Collect Data

10.  Start recording data. �(6.2)

11.  Adjust the scale of the graph to show all data. �(7.1.2)

12.  Record data for 24 hours.

13.  At the end of 24 hours, stop recording data. �(6.2)

14.  Save your experiment, �(11.1) and clean up according to your teacher's instructions.

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Weather in a Terrarium

Data Analysis

1.  Make a sketch of your data for Temperature versus Time. Label the overall graph, the x-axis, the y-
axis, and include units on the axes.

2.  Make a sketch of your data for Relative Humidity versus Time. Label the overall graph, the x-axis, the
y-axis, and include units on the axes.

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 Student Inquiry Worksheet

3.  Make a sketch of your data for Dew Point versus Time. Label the overall graph, the x-axis, the y-axis,
and include units on the axes.

4.  Use available tools to find the minimum, maximum and average � (9.4) temperature, relative humidity,
dew point, absolute humidity and barometric pressure. Record your data in Table 1 below. Then
calculate the percent change over time.

Table 1: Measurements for temperature, humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure

Measurement Minimum Maximum Average % Change

Temperature
(°C)

Relative Humidity

Dew Point
(°C)

Absolute Humidity (grams

per cubic meter)

Barometric Pressure
(inches of mercury)

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Weather in a Terrarium

Analysis Questions

1. Which factor changed the most over 24 hours?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which factor changed the least?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Did your predictions in the activity section match the data collected? Explain.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What connections can you make between the outside weather and the weather inside the terrarium
during the 24-hour period? Why might they be different?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Synthesis Questions
Use available resources to help you answer the following questions.

1. What happens to the relative humidity when the temperature drops?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Student Inquiry Worksheet

2. Why does relative humidity change when temperature changes?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why would the presence of plants in the terrarium lead to higher humidity readings in the
terrarium?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Why does the approach of a low pressure air mass into an area tend to bring precipitation?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Discuss some adaptations that organisms have that allow them to survive in changing weather
conditions. Give some specific examples of adaptations that may allow organisms to survive any
significant global climate shifts.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Weather in a Terrarium

Multiple Choice Questions

Select the best answer or completion to each of the questions or incomplete statements below.

1. Which type of air mass has a relative humidity of 100 percent?

A. Humid
B. Temperate
C. Dry
D. Saturated

2. Based on the accompanying graph of an air mass, which can hold more water vapor: warmer air or
cooler air?

A. The warmer air

B. The cooler air
C. Neither one significantly more than the other
D. Sometimes the warmer air; sometimes the cooler air

3. Which term refers to the actual amount of water vapor in the air?

A. Precipitation
B. Dew point
C. Absolute humidity
D. Relative humidity

4. When is relative humidity highest?

A. When air temperature is near the dew point

B. When air temperature is rising
C. When the wind blows
D. When air temperature is falling

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 Student Inquiry Worksheet

Key Term Challenge

Fill in the blanks from the list of randomly ordered words in the Key Term Challenge Word Bank.

1. The state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place is ____________. ____________ refers to the
kinetic energy of the air molecules. The ____________ refers to the weight of the air. ____________ refers to
the amount of water vapor in the air. These and other factors influence the state of the atmosphere. Weather
depends on the type of ____________ over an area. An air mass is a large body of air that has nearly the same
temperature and humidity throughout.

2. Humidity is typically expressed in two ways. Absolute humidity is the actual amount of ____________ the
air contains at that time. ____________ humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air compared with the
maximum amount of water vapor the air could hold at that temperature and pressure. When the atmosphere
reaches a low enough temperature that the relative humidity reaches 100 percent ____________, the water
vapor ____________ from the atmosphere and forms dew, fog, or frost. This temperature is known as the
____________.

3. The long term average weather conditions in a given area is called ____________. A ____________ is the
set of atmospheric conditions measured in a smaller, somewhat isolated study area.

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Weather in a Terrarium

Key Term Challenge Word Bank

Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3
air mass absolute climate
barometric pressure air mass ecosystem
climate condenses evolution
greenhouse effect dew point microclimate
humidity evaporates weather
temperature inverse
transpiration relative
water vapor saturation
weather transpiration point
wind water vapor

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