How to Make Cool Simple Homemade Rockets
Science is not a field of study relegated to brightly lighted laboratories and research institutions. You are surrounded by the force of gravity, and your home contains some of the elemental products needed for amateur rocket propulsion; any day can be turned into a study of physics. By combining some stomach medicine and water, you can take part in your own "backyard science" by making cool, simple homemade rockets.
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Things You'll Need
- Eye protection
- 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper
- 35mm film canister
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Cellophane tape
- Antacid stomach tablets
- Water
Instructions
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1
Lay the sheet of paper flat on a sturdy surface. Draw a line lengthwise down the sheet of paper and create two equal halves.
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2
Draw a circle and two rectangles on one side of the divided sheet of paper. Try to use as much of the side as you can. The circle and rectangles, once cut, will serve as your nosecone and rocket fins, respectively.
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3
Cut the paper down the lengthwise line, then cut out the shapes you drew on the remaining side.
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4
Cut exactly one-quarter out of the circle pattern you cut. This cut will allow you to twist the paper into the three-dimensional shape of a cone. Once you have formed a cone, tape the paper in place.
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5
Cut the two rectangles into four triangles by cutting diagonally across the length of the rectangle shapes. Set them aside.
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6
Create the rocket body by rolling the film canister along the length of the unused portion of paper. The paper should form around the canister into a cylinder shape. The body should be rolled with the cap end of the film canister sticking out of one end.
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7
Tape the cone and fins to the body of your rocket. You can tape them in any position you want in order to experiment with flight patterns.
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8
Walk outside with your rocket, water and antacid tablet and find an open, safe place to launch the device.
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9
Turn the rocket upside down, and fill one third of the film canister with water.
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10
Drop the antacid tablet into the film canister, quickly snap the canister lid into place, and set the rocket on the ground. Stand back a few yards and watch the rocket launch.
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Tips & Warnings
Your film canister should utilize a lid that snaps to the inside of the container, not the outside. Lids that snap around the outside of the canister will cause the rocket to fire improperly.
This activity should be performed with adult supervision to avoid injury.
References
- Photo Credit Rocket image by Yuriy Rozanov from Fotolia.com
