The Increasing of Elevators Altitude Affect on Pressure

Katherine Reyes
Harold Washington College

I. Abstract
A. This projects goal was to determine the accuracy of pressure decreasing while
increasing in altitude upon riding the Harold Washington College Elevator.
B. Data was gathered at three separate stops on the elevator.
1. The first, was gathered on the ground level (1st floor) of HWC at an altitude of
203.28 m
2. The second, was gathered on the 5th floor at an altitude of 216.62 m
3. The third, was gathered on the 10th floor of HWC at an altitude of 233.89 m
C. The BMP 180 (Pressure and Temperature Sensor) connected to the Raspberry Pi 3 and
provided an accurate way to efficiently record Altitude, Pressure, and Temperature within
a moving elevator.
D. The A/P/T values were acquired by commanding the RPi 3 to capture data from the BMP
180 sensor at every floor stopped while being in the elevator.

II. Background (Pressure decrease with increasing Altitude)

A. The pressure at any level in the atmosphere may be interpreted as the total weight of the
air above a unit area at any elevation.
1. At higher elevations, there are fewer air
molecules above a given surface than a
similar surface at lower levels.
2. For example, there are fewer molecules above
the 50 km surface than are found above the
12 km surface, which is why the pressure is
less at 50 km.
B. This implies that atmospheric pressure decreases
with increasing height. Since most of the atmosphere's molecules are held close to the
earth's surface by the force of gravity, air pressure decreases rapidly at first, then more
slowly at higher levels (University Of Illinois WW20)
III. Methodology
A. Equipment
1. While Utilizing its ability to use the
Linux operating program, a
Raspberry Pi 3 computer was used
to program commands for the A/P/T
sensor to retrieve values.
2. The Sensor that utilized was A BMP
180 which detects Altitude,
Pressure, Sea level Pressure, and
Temperature
B. Configuration and Coding
1. Operating system: Raspian, a
version of Linux
2. Connection guidelines (As shown in the figure above) and Python codes for the RPi
3 to command sensor to obtain values were retrieved by the BMPs manufacturer
cite, Adafruit

IV. Data

HWC Floor # Altitude Pressure Sea level Temperature

Pressure

1st Floor 203.28 m 98906.00Pa 98910.00 Pa 24.10 *C

5th Floor 216.62 m 98755.00 Pa 98749.00 Pa 24.60 *C

10th Floor 233.89 m 98555.00 Pa 98545.00 Pa 25.10 *C

V. Conclusion
A. The accurate detection of altitude and pressure values by the BMP 180 allowed the
inverse relationship between Altitude and pressure to be proven true when riding the
elevators at Harold Washington College.
1. Pressure values decreased the higher up the elevator traveled in Altitude
B. The fast and successful reading of values that were retrieved from the BMP 180 shown
on the monitor connected to the RPi 3, and allowed values be accurately taken while
quickly moving between floors in the Harold Washington Elevator.