How to Build a Water Pressure Rocket
This is another exciting way to teach kids the basics of pressure. It is also fun for adults too!
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Things You'll Need
- An empty 2 liter plastic soda bottle.
- A wood cork
- A manual air pump (a bicycle pump is perfect)
- an air pump needle
- 0.5 liters of water
Instructions
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1
Fill the bottle with the 0.5 liters of water.
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2
Push the air pump needle into the cork. Seal the bottle with the cork. Hold the bottle upside down. If you do it right, the tip of the needle located inside the bottle should be submerged under the water level.
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3
Put the bottle in a bucket or any other container that will help to aim it. Be careful, do not aim at yourself, another person, or anything breakable.
Aiming the bottle vertically is the best thing to do. -
4
Attach the end of the needle/cork to the air pump. Start pumping air until the bottle/rocket is shot at a high speed.
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5
Repeat it as many times as you want! Just be sure to fill the bottle with water every time!
You can also change the amount of water. Less water means that you will pump more air,and the rocket will reach farther. More water means less air, and the rocket's reach will be less.
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Tips & Warnings
You (or your kids) can paint your bottle/rocket or attach string and other decorations to it!
Aiming the rocket vertically is the best thing to do, so everyone can really appreciate its speed.
Try not to fill the bottle with more than 0.5 liters of water, more water will reduce the distance of the bottle/rocket. Less water will mean that you will have to pump more air into the bottle.
Always try this on an open space (yard, etc).
When the rocket launches, the water might soak the people around it.
Never, never aim to a person, animal or anything breakable. The speed the rocket gets is enough so it might hurt someone. Aiming it vertically is the best thing to do.
Never use any material other than plastic for the bottle.
An adult should always be present if kids try this.
