Partnerships Implementing Engineering Education Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester Public Schools

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1 Make An Antacid Rocket: 5.A.2 Grade Level 5 Sessions Seasonality Instructional Mode(s) Team Size WPS Benchmarks MA Frameworks Key Words 1 approximately 60 minutes N/A Whole class Groups of 3-5 students 05.SC.IS SC.IS SC.TE ES TE TE TE.2.3 air pressure, antacid, reaction, rocket Summary Students will use air pressure created from a chemical reaction to launch a film canister rocket. They will experiment with different combinations to determine which one gives the best results. Learning Objectives 2002 Worcester Public Schools (WPS) Benchmarks for Grade 3-5 Skills of Inquiry 05.SC.IS.01 Ask questions and make predictions that can be tested. 05.SC.IS.03 Keep accurate records while conducting simple investigations or experiments. Technology/Engineering 05.SC.TE.06 Identify relevant design features (i.e., size, shape, weight) for building a prototype of a solution to a given problem. Additional Learning Objectives 1. At the conclusion of this lesson, the students will have a better understanding of chemical reactions and their potential. 2. At the conclusion of this lesson, the students will have developed their engineering skills more extensively. 1

2 Required Background Knowledge 1. Students should have a basic understanding of the engineering design process Essential Questions 1. How can we use air pressure to make a rocket? 2. How high can you make it go using different combinations? Introduction / Motivation The students will be designing and building their own film canister rockets. They will to preform well documented experiments to determine which combination of materials produces the best end result for their rocket. Students will also complete the rocket experiment worksheet, (attached), as they are conducting their experiments. Procedure Note: Feel free to alter the following lesson as you see fit based on your resources, student s, and student capabilities. The Instructor will: 1. Explain that the students will be using air pressure to make a rocket out of a film canister and an antacid tablet. 2. Explain how the antacid rockets will work: When the fizzy tablet is placed in water a chemical reaction takes place and many little bubbles of gas escape. The bubbles go up, instead of down, because they weigh less than water. When the bubbles get to the surface of the water, they break open. All that gas that has escaped from the bubbles pushes on the sides of the canister. Now when you blow up a balloon, the air makes the balloon stretch bigger and bigger. But the little film canister doesn't stretch and all this gas has to go somewhere. Eventually, something has to give! So the canister pops its top (which is really its bottom, since it's upside down). All the water and gas rush down and out, pushing the canister up and up, along with the rocket attached to it. 2

3 Real rockets work kind of the same way. But instead of using tablets that fizz in water, they use rocket fuel. 3. Give each group an alka seltzer tablet, a Tums tablet, water, vinegar and baking soda. 4. Direct each group to use half of the alka seltzer tablet per trial and to try different combinations till they find one that launches the rocket the highest. 5. Each group will fill out a sheet to record the results of each combination and determine which works the best. They will present their results to the class. Materials List Materials per class Amount Location Plastic 35-mm film canister The film canister must be the ones with the cap that fits on the inside of the tube. Some photography shops will be happy to donate these to such a worthy cause. Effervescing (fizzing) antacid tablet (alka seltzer) Tums Tissues (Kleenex) Water Vinegar Baking soda One per group Photograph shop 2 per group Drug store, supermarket, general store Depends on student s General faucet water supply, Supermarket 3

4 Materials per student Amount Location Plastic 35-mm film canister The film canister must be the ones with the cap that fits on the inside of the tube. Some photography shops will be happy to donate these to such a worthy cause. Effervescing (fizzing) antacid tablet (alka seltzer) Tums Paper towels Water Vinegar Baking soda One per group Photograph shop 2 per group Drug store, supermarket, general store Depends on student s General faucet water supply, Supermarket Vocabulary with Definitions 1. Air Pressure pressure due to a volume of air. 2. Reaction - chemical transformation or change. 3. Rocket - an object designed to fly through the air, which may be propelled by various forces. Assessment / Evaluation of Students The instructor may assess the students in any/all of the following manners: 1. Check for data filled in the rocket experiment worksheet. 2. Student s results accurately represented and presented. Lesson Extensions None 4

5 Attachments 1. Student Directions 2. Experimental Data Worksheet Troubleshooting Tips None Safety Issues Students should use eye protection during testing. Additional Resources None Key Words Air Pressure, antacid, reaction, rocket 5

6 Student Directions What s happening? When the fizzy tablet is placed in water, many little bubbles of gas escape. The bubbles go up, instead of down, because they weigh less than water. When the bubbles get to the surface of the water, they break open. All that gas that has escaped from the bubbles pushes on the sides of the canister. Now when you blow up a balloon, the air makes the balloon stretch bigger and bigger. But the little film canister doesn't stretch and all this gas has to go somewhere! Eventually, something has to give! So the canister pops its top (which is really its bottom, since it's upside down). All the water and gas rush down and out, pushing the canister up and up, along with the rocket attached to it. Real rockets work kind of the same way. But instead of using tablets that fizz in water, they use rocket fuel. Follow these directions for your first trial: 1. Turn the rocket upside down and remove the canister's lid. 2. Fill the canister one-third full of water and/or vinegar. Now work quickly on the next steps! 1. Drop one-half of an effervescing antacid tablet, baking soda and/or Tums into the canister. 2. Snap the lid on tight. 3. Stand your rocket on a launch platform 4. Stand back and wait. Your rocket will blast off! 5. Try different combinations to test which works best.

7 Engineering Team Fill in the table with data from your rocket try-outs. Trial Alka Seltzer Tums Vinegar Water Baking Soda Procedure Results Which trial gave the best results? Why do you think it gave you good results? Write your answer on the back.