RUBBER BAND ROCKETS/SPACE SHUTTLES

Transcription

1 RUBBER BAND ROCKETS/SPACE SHUTTLES Objectives Students will define the parts to mechanical energy. Students will define kinetic and potential energy. Students will state the Law of Conservation of energy. Students will observe potential and kinetic energy when flying a foam rocket or space shuttle. Students will understand a relationship between the amount of potential energy and the amount of kinetic energy. Suggested Grade Levels 6 th through 8 th Subject Area Science Timeline 3 class periods of 45 minutes each Background Knowledge The students should have some understanding about motion and energy. The students will need background on the following definitions: Mechanical energy, potential energy, kinetic energy, and the law of conservation of energy. Materials Template sheets for fins Foam meat tray, one per student or ¼ foam (can be found in hobby stores) Pipe insulation tube; come in 5-foot lengths for about $1. One rocket requires 14 inches Hot glue guns Snap knives to cut fins, scissors may also be used One or two cable ties per rocket One #64 rubber band per rocket One soda straw per rocket Student worksheets Ruler 100-meter tape Lesson Day 1 Goddard rocket construction Step by step instructions and pictures can be found at the following web site, pages You may have to copy and paste the address into the window.

2 1. Position the template on the foam meat tray and cut the fins using a snap knife. With young children, scissors may be used. 2. You may round the fins if you would like, this makes the rocket more aerodynamic.

3 3. Cut a piece of pipe insulation to a length of Apply hot glue to the edge of the fin. 5. Place the fin on the pipe-covering seam; the seam acts as a positioning guide. 6. Wrap the fin guide around the pipe foam as shown. Wrap it so that it ends at the seam. Secure with tape 7. The small arrows show the builder where the other fins are to be mounted. 8. Now, tie a soda straw or a cable tie around a #64 rubber band 9. Stuff the soda straw ends into the nose of the foam tube (the end opposite of what you were just working on), so that some of the rubber band sticks out. 10. Wrap a cable tie around the opening about 3/8 from the end s edge. The rubber band should be showing out the end of the tube. 11. Cinch down the cable as tightly as possible 12. Trim the tail off of the cable tie To launch the rocket 1. Put one thumb into the fin end of the tube and hold it firmly. 2. Put the other thumb into the rubber band. 3. Stretch the rubber band to about 4 Patterns Fin Pattern, cut three. Glue the long straight side to the rocket body. Fin Guide

4 Day Two 1. The students will review the definition of energy and mechanical energy. 2. The teacher will tell the students that the type of energy called mechanical energy has two parts, kinetic and potential. 3. The teacher will state to the students that potential energy is energy of position, like the water behind a dam. Kinetic energy is energy that is in motion, like the water running when a bathtub is filled. 4. The teacher will go on to give more examples of potential and kinetic energy until the students are comfortable with the concept. Examples of potential energy would be: a wound spring, a rock at the edge of a cliff, an unlit firecracker. Examples of kinetic energy would be: a waterfall, a pitcher throwing the ball, a boulder rolling down the mountain. 5. Next, the teacher will tell the students that they will do an activity that will help them identify the kinetic and potential energy in a flying rocket or space shuttle. 6. The teacher will pass out the student worksheets, see addendum 1, and discuss its contents. 7. The students will write a hypothesis about the stretch of the rubber band and the kinetic and potential energy. 8. The students will break up into their lab groups and designate a recorder, a pilot, a person to measure the ruler, and a person to measure the tape measure. 9. The teacher must remind the students that the measurement of the rubber band on the end of the rocket or shuttle is their starting point. Also, the total stretch is the amount of stretch on the rubber band. For instance, if the student s rubber band measures 8 mm and they stretch the band 10 mm, then they will measure 18 mm on the ruler. 10. The students then will gather all the materials for the activity and begin their activity either outside or in a cafeteria or small gym. 11. Once the activity is finished, the students will create a line graph of the data collected. 12. The students will discuss the questions on their worksheet with their lab group. 13. The students will write down their answers to the questions and formulate their conclusion in paragraph form. A variation of this activity would be to use a simple rubber band and a ruler. Extensions Study the construction of rockets and the amount of potential energy needed to get it off the ground. Discuss how the space shuttle is lifted off the ground and flies upside down while in orbit. Evaluations/Assessment Rubric will be used to assess the student s skills in the group The worksheet will be collected and graded by the teacher. Resources Millspaugh, Ben Dr. The Goddard Rocket pages Super Saturday Science Activity, Super Slingers, Sponsor: Bureau

5 County Regional Office of Education, Western Illinois University. Addendums (1) Addendum 1 STUDENT WORKSHEET NAME RUBBER BAND ROCKET/ SPACE SHUTTLE Materials: rocket or space shuttle, worksheet, pencil, 30 cm ruler, and a 100 m tape measure 1. Length of rubber band on rocket or space shuttle mm 2. Hypothesis: 3. TOTAL STRETCH TRIAL 1 cm TRIAL 2 cm TRIAL 3 cm TOTAL DISTANCE AVERAGE DISTANCE 10 mm 20 mm 30 mm 40 mm 50 mm

6 4. Now create a line graph of your data to show how far the rubber band traveled as your group increased the stretch. (Use Average distance for your graph). QUESTIONS 1. What is energy? 2. What is potential energy? 3. What is kinetic energy? 4. In the activity, at which distance is the potential energy the highest?

7 How do you know? 5. In the activity, at which distance is the kinetic energy the highest? How do you know? 6. In the activity, at which distance is the potential energy the lowest? How do you know? 7. In the activity, at which distance is the kinetic energy the lowest? How do you know? 8. Describe (in paragraph form) the energy changes that occur when you did this activity? 9. State the Law of Conservation of Energy. 10. Explain how this activity relates to the Law of Conservation of energy. 11. CONCLUSION Write a conclusion to this activity in the spaces below in paragraph form.