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Balloon Launch

Related Rates - Balloon Launch

An observer 500 feet from the launch site lets out a line of blue string attached to a balloon.

1. Click "reset time" and "lauch balloon" a few times. Does the balloon rise at a constant, increasing, or decreasing rate?

2. Click "reset time" and "lauch balloon". Is the string released at a constant, increasing, or decreasing rate?

3. Why isn't the third side labeled with a variable like the red and blue sides?

4. Reset time & launch several times. Suppose the balloon was allowed to rise higher & higher. Would there be an upper limit for the rate that the string is released? Explain.

5. Launch and watch the C' values. They change more slowly as the balloon goes up. What is the real world meaning of this?

6. Drag the red point to various times & look at the length & velocity values. How is the ratio of A' to C' related to the ratio of A to C? Does this relationship depend on the balloon velocity?

7. Imagine you are the observer. Would you need to move your head more quickly when the balloon first launches or more quickly after the balloon has gained some altitude? Look at the values for the angle measure to confirm your thoughts on this.