Activity At A Glance
Building and Launching a Model Rocket
Purpose
To introduce the basic parts of rockets and the physical forces at work in the flight of rockets.
Overview
Part 1: Building and Launching a Model Rocket — Children build and decorate a model rocket using oak-tag poster board for the rocket body, nose cone, and fins. A 35-mm film canister, which will later be filled with a fuel mixture of baking soda and vinegar, is the rocket's engine. The children launch their rockets.
Part 2: Challenges of Launching Heavy Rockets — Children can discover more about the physical principles of rocket propulsion and flight. In Part 2, children incrementally add more mass to their rockets to determine how this change affects the maximum height of their rocket's flight. They are also given the opportunity to explore the effects of different vinegar-baking soda fuel mixtures on the flight of their rocket.
Concepts
Different shapes and sizes of rocket nose cones, body, and fins alter the characteristics of a rocket's flight.
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A force must be exerted for a rocket to lift off from a launch pad.
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The motion of the rocket is equal to, and in the opposite direction of, the thrust of the rocket's engine.
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The greater the mass of the rocket, the greater the amount of thrust needed to launch the rocket.
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Given a fixed amount of thrust, the distance a rocket travels decreases at its mass increases.
Appropriate Ages
This activity is intended for ages 10–13, but is also appropriate for ages 8–9.
Time
Part 1: Building and Launching a Model Rocket: 50–60 minutes
Part 2: Challenges of Launching Heavy Rockets: 20–30 minutes
Materials
Part 1 — Building and Launching a Model Rocket
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Oak-tag poster board (8 × 10 sheets)
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Plastic 35-mm film canisters (Fuji Film© canisters are recommended)
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Cellophane tape
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Scissors
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Colored markers
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Decorative stickers
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Plastic picnic spoons (or a set of measuring spoons)
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Baking soda
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Vinegar
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Optional: Alka-Seltzer and water (can be substituted for baking soda and vinegar)
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Paper towels
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Eye protection
Part 2 — Challenges of Launching Heavy Rockets
Correlations to National Science Standards
Physical Science — Content Standard B
Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter
Motions and Forces
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The motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed. That motion can be measured and represented on a graph.
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An object that is not being subjected to a force will continue to move at a constant speed and in a straight line.
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If more than one force acts on an object along a straight line, then the forces will reinforce or cancel one another, depending on their direction and magnitude. Unbalanced forces will cause changes in the speed or direction of an object's motion.
Transfer of Energy
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Energy is a property of many substances and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion, sound, nuclei, and the nature of a chemical. Energy is transferred in many ways.
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In most chemical and nuclear reactions, energy is transferred into or out of a system. Heat, light, mechanical motion, or electricity might all be involved in such transfers.
