What specific biological variable did the inclusion of the duck and cockerel aim to test regarding aerial ascent?
Answer
The effect of altitude on animals naturally capable of flight.
The birds, specifically the duck, were included to address the variable of flight itself. Since birds naturally navigate different atmospheric layers, the brothers reasoned that if a creature already adapted to flight suffered ill effects—such as suffocation or injury—it would indicate that the ascent conditions themselves (like density or pressure changes) were inherently hostile to all life, regardless of whether the organism was actively flying or passively carried. The survival of the birds offered reassurance concerning the basic environmental challenges of altitude.
Related Questions
Where did Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier launch their balloon carrying living creatures on September 19, 1783?Which trio of specific animals formed the scientific crew aboard the Montgolfier hot-air balloon during its first ascent with life?What was the principal scientific justification for including the sheep as a passenger in the wicker basket?What specific biological variable did the inclusion of the duck and cockerel aim to test regarding aerial ascent?How did the design of the *Montgolfière* balloon generate the necessary lift for ascent?What immediate scientific protocol did the Montgolfiers establish with the successful 1783 animal flight?Which specific individuals attended the Versailles flight to witness the ascent of the balloon carrying the sheep, duck, and cockerel?After traveling approximately two miles, where did the *Montgolfière* carrying the biological passengers safely conclude its descent?What materials were primarily utilized by the Montgolfiers to generate the necessary heat and smoke for inflation in early tests?What immediate implication did the verified survival of the sheep, duck, and cockerel have on the future of ballooning?