Rocket Launch Projects
It's not necessary to have a degree in engineering to build a working rocket. Granted, the rocket you build isn't likely to go to the moon but it's still possible build smaller rockets that indeed launch into the air. The materials you use in constructing your rocket will determine just what kind of launch it will have. Model rockets can also be used to demonstrate mathematical equations.
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Baking Soda/Vinegar Rocket Launch
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A simple rocket can be built with a paper plate, toilet paper tube, a film canister, baking soda, vinegar and some tape. While it's not necessary, the toilet paper tube can be decorated before it's attached to the center of the paper plate using tape. To create the fuel, pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar into a film canister. Add the baking soda (half of a teaspoon is all that's needed). When you've put in the baking soda, quickly put the lid on the film canister and place it lid down into the toilet paper tube. Within 10 to 20 seconds, your rocket will be airborne. If it hasn't, wait at least one minute before checking on the film canister. Make sure this is an outside project.
Bottle Rocket Launcher
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Bottle rockets are launched into the air when filled partially with water then pressurized using a bicycle pump. To build the rocket, use an empty pop bottle and turn it so that the bottom is facing upwards. Onto this you attach a cone made of thick paper to act as the nose of the rocket. Three or four fins are attached to the bottom to act as stabilizers while the rocket is in flight. The launcher itself varies in design, but the key components necessary are that it holds the rocket upright without constricting it and has a mechanism--usually made with rubber stoppers and pipe connectors--that allows for a tube to be inserted into the bottom of the rocket. This tube is what the air will flow through when pressurizing the rocket for launch. Once all the components are assembled, the rocket is fitted onto the launcher and fired.
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Predicting a Rocket's Trajectory
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This project uses model rockets and trigonometry to determine where a rocket will land based on its launch trajectory. When a model rocket is launched, it has a set sequence of events that it goes through between launch and recovery. This flight path takes the shape of a slightly rounded triangle so if the greatest height the rocket will reach is known, it's estimated landing spot can be determined. To do this, the rocket's firing height plus the angle the rocket is being launched at are worked into a mathematical equation and the result should predict the rocket's landing spot.
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References
- Photo Credit fun space rocket image by Leslie Batchelder from Fotolia.com
