NOVA Online | Balloon Race Around The World

Balloon Race Around The World menu (see bottom of page for text links)

Map of world, with balloon over Africa and jet streams marked

Phew! You just made it! The less dense air in the balloon has made you lighter so you can rise. You're in the southerly current. But now you get an e-mail from your meteorologist friend, warning you that a major thunderstorm is in your path over Nigeria. You need to descend to 1,524 m (5,000 ft) in order to avoid it. What are you going to do?

I choose to turn the burner down so that the air will cool.
I choose to turn the burner up to heat the air.