What did you find out? Is there a relationship between the air temperature and the type of cover over the container? Keep in mind that the simulated surface was a dark substance.

Unlike the Earth, the atmosphere of Venus is made up of about 96 % carbon dioxide, and only about 3 % nitrogen. In addition, Venus has clouds of sulfuric acid suspended in the atmosphere producing a pale yellow haze. Just like the glass of a greenhouse that traps heat inside the building, the carbon dioxide rich atmosphere of Venus makes it the warmest planet in the solar system.

Think about how changing the surface color of your simulated planet and how that would affect the air temperature in its atmosphere. The black dirt that you used absorbed much of the incoming heat. What if the surface was more reflective? Try repeating the activity with another substance like sand or sugar. How do you think the air temperature will change in your container with a different surface?

How would the readings change throughout a complete day? What would happen if you added other materials to your container like plants or pollutants, etc.?

How useful is a spreadsheet and a graph in determining the relationships between data sets? Is it important to see both a data table and a graph? Describe your thoughts on the Probe Discussion Board.