Final Project – Bottle Rockets Jenkins
Water Rocket Challenge: Individually, you will need to research, design, build and launch your own bottle rocket.
Problem: Create one bottle rocket that will fly straight and remain aloft for a maximum amount of time.
Suggested Materials
Two 2-liter bottles
Cardboard for fins – you choose design and number and placement
Manila Folder – for nose cone – you choose shape, added mass from clay and prepare a replacement in case…
Duct Tape and/or masking tape
Parachute supplies below – optional – One small plastic cone (athletic), String, Large Plastic Trash Bag, Avery Paper reinforcement labels (you'll need 32/chute.), Hole punch
Timeline: Materials due Monday June 6
Evidence of your research and a sketch of your plan due Tuesday June 7 One suggested website. http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/rockets/ -
You will be given class time for building, June 6,7,8
Written log of each work period – due at the beginning of each building day, including the first launch day – 3 in total – Must be typed! Document your progress, data, ideas and planning. You should include an overview of what you accomplished regarding decisions on rocket mass, size, position of center of gravity, center of pressure, size and position of fins
Launch dates – 6//9 Th; 6/13 Mon and 6/14 Tues
You will be evaluated on the successful launch of your rocket and the time your rocket stays in the air.
Due Tuesday, June 14th.
1. 6 free-body diagrams (one for each situation listed below.) Each should be drawn as neatly as possible (use a ruler!) and should be approximately 1 square inch. Make sure to label all of the forces that are present and make sure the vector force arrows are to scale with one another (magnitude not needed.) Situations:
a) Rocket on launch pad (pressurized)
b) At the moment of launch just as the rocket is leaving the launch pad
c) When the fuel (water/air is expended but the rocket is still heading up
d) At the apogee (highest point)
e) On the way down (terminal velocity)
f) At the moment of impact with earth
2. Explain in complete sentences how Newton’s three laws of motion apply to the rocket
3. Position vs. Time graph. Sketch a position versus time graph of your entire rocket’s flight. The graph will not include any numbers, just approximations. Please make sure to label the parts of the graph that coincide with the 6 FBD’s you created in the previous section. Draw the graph on graph paper and make it as large as possible. REMEMBER – the shape of the graph is important!
4. Rocket DATA:
For your rocket, collect and record this data: Mass of rocket: ______
Weight of rocket: ______
Volume of water used for launch ______
Time in air ______
This will count as a major lab for the 4th quarter grade.
Grading breakdown
Building – obviously productive use of classtime 20%
Reflection on building and analysis 20%
Performance day of 20%
4 science pieces due 6/14 40%
Building criteria – bottle is classic coke, fin location is correct – does not extend below nozzle,
Parachute cut and securely attached
I will provide scissors and that is all for building!.
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