ROCKET LAB. Group Members

Transcription

1 Group Members ROCKET LAB The challenge is to design, build and successfully launch a rocket based on a set prototype that is modified. For this challenge apply knowledge of forces, the laws of motion, gravity, chemical reactions, gas laws and energy to create a rocket that will stay in the air the as long as possible. The following instructions are basic guidelines on how to build the prototype (model) rocket. It is not a complete list of procedures for your lab report. These instructions are only part of the procedure for designing the rocket. For this project each group will create 1 rocket and 1 scale drawing of the rocket. On launch day, data will be collected for all rockets launched and this information will go in the report to help explain why your design performed the way it did. The data will be analyzed to determine which variable (change) worked the best and why. EACH person must turn in his or her OWN UNIQUE lab report. While working on the rocket, you may ask a teacher to confirm that you are doing something the right way but this is an independent project and it is up to you to figure out what to do. Use problem-solving strategies. When building the rocket, you may choose 1 of 3 variables to change. Everything else is controlled or needs to stay constant with the prototype rocket. Prototype Rocket body specs. Body of rocket Nose cone Wing shape Wing dimensions Paper towel roll 28 cm long Radius of 10 cm. Triangle (see image on the right) 6.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 13 cm Your choices for independent variables include (CHOOSE ONLY 1): Style of wings: The control wing is a triangle measuring 6.5 cm. x 7.5 cm. x 13 cm Number of wings: The control is 4 wings Length of nose cone: The control is 10 cm

2 Step 1: Choose the independent variable: Include a rough (not to scale) sketch of what your rocket will look like. Step 2: Explain why this change will make the rocket more successful. Use scientific vocabulary.

3 Materials List (add to the list as you work and include amounts) Manila Poster Board Elmer s glue Paper towel roll B6-4 model rocket engine Basic Procedure- Be sure to modify the procedure in the written report to reflect the rocket constructed Step 1: Gather materials for rocket design. Paper towel roll, poster paper and glue. Step 2: Cut out the wing shape/size and trace it onto the poster paper 3 times for each wing. If there are 3 wings then trace the design 9 times. If there are 4 wings then trace the design 12 times. Step 3: Glue the wing layers together. Each wing should be 3 layers thick. Step 4: Trace the nose cone onto the poster paper. Cut out the nose cone and pull the two ends together until the cone as a base the same circumference as the rocket body(tube). Be sure there is little or no hole in the top of your nose cone. Glue the nose cone together but DO NOT GLUE THE NOSE CONE TO THE ROCKET!!!! Step 5: Make an attachment piece for the nose cone. Cut a rectangular strip of poster paper that is 3.5 cm by 18 cm. Roll this strip into a cylinder that will fit tightly inside the tube and nose cone. This will be the throat of the nose cone. It should fit securely but not be too tight. Glue cylinder together and use a paper clip to hold it together until it dries. Step 6: When the pieces for the nose cone are dry, glue the throat to the inside of the nose cone as straight up and down as possible. DO NOT GLUE THIS ASSEMBLY TO THE ROCKET BODY!!!! Step 7: Assemble a sturdy engine mount. To create the engine mount tube, cut out a rectangle with dimensions of 18 cm x 10 cm from the paper. Wrap this piece around a rocket engine obtained from the teacher. Make sure that it fits securely. Glue the paper together at this size. DO NOT GLUE THE PAPER TO THE ROCKET ENGINE!! Return the engine to the teacher. Step 8: Using the Engine Mount Guide, trace the guide 2 times onto the poster paper and cut them out. Glue the engine mount tube made in step 9 into the inside hole of the engine mount. Place each engine mount approximately 2.5 cm from each end of the tube. Make an internal stop ring so the engine does not shoot out of the rocket. Make a small rectangle out of poster paper (10 cm by 1 cm). Roll it into a smaller cylinder than the engine mount tube. Insert the ring into the engine mount about 8 cm up and glue into place. Step 9: Fold down the tabs on the outside edge of the mount. Place glue on each tab and slide the engine mount inside the rocket body. The bottom tabs should be at the very bottom of the inside of the rocket body. Hold the tabs so they dry SECURELY to the inside of the rocket body. Step 10: Mark even spaces on the body of the rocket where wings/fins will be located. Then rub edges of DRIED wings with sandpaper to get them rough so that they attach easier. Step 11: Lightly glue the edge of the wings and attach to the rocket body where the wings should be placed. Once they are stuck, apply more glue to the edges of the wings to secure them into place. DO NOT RUSH THROUGH THIS STEP! HAVE TEACHER CHECK WORK and then pick up recovery system materials.

4 Rocket Recovery System: Parachute and Shock Cord 1. Cut out 2 Shock Cord Mounts out of poster paper. See diagram to the right. Fold on the dotted lines and then unfold the paper. 2. Take a rubber band and cut it open. 3. Cut 6 strings that are 35 cm long. 4. Place one end of the rubber band diagonally across section #2 of Shock Cord Mount Put a drop of glue on the rubber band and fold section #1 down on top of the rubber band. 6. Place a drop of glue on section #3 and fold it down on top of that. 7. Make sure the rubber band is securely inside the mount. 8. Tie the strings together at one end. 9. Tie the knotted end around the remaining end of the rubber band. 10. Place the rubber band and string combo to section #2 on Shock Cord Mount Glue and fold as you did for the first shock cord mount. 12. Glue shock cord mount 1 to the inside of the rocket body about 5 cm from the top. 13. Glue shock cord mount 2 to the inside of the nose cone. 14. Cut out a 35 cm diameter parachute from a garbage bag. 15. Tie or tape the strings to the parachute.

5 Launch preparation instructions 1. Pack 4 or 5 squares of loosely crumpled recovery wadding into the body tube. This will be positioned between the engine and the parachute to prevent the parachute from igniting. 2. Hold the parachute at its center and pull the parachute into a spike. Fold the parachute in half. Loosely lower the parachute into the body tube on top of the recovery wadding. Add the strings and rubber band following the parachute. Position the nose cone in place. 3. Using masking tape, attach a straw to the middle of the body tube between the wings. 4. Place a new B6-4 model rocket engine into the engine mount until it hits the internal stop ring. The small hole in the bottom of the engine should be facing outward. Secure the engine into the engine mount using a strip of masking tape around the exterior. 5. Insert the solar igniter into the small hole in the engine until it stops. Bend the two wires of the igniter to a 90 angle to the side opposite of the straw. Attach the pink plug into the engine to hold the igniter in place. PUT ON SAFETY GOGGLES!! 6. Position the rocket onto the metal pole of the launch pad through the straw. 7. Attach one end of the alligator clips to each of the wires of the igniter. 8. Launch.

6 Questions to Consider 1. State Newton s three laws of motion and explain how each is demonstrated by the rocket. 2. Energy is defined as the ability to do work. Work is done when a force causes an object to move. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. a) Did the rocket do work? Explain. b) Energy is stored in the rocket before the launch. What type of energy is this? c) At the peak of the rocket s height, there is a moment then the velocity is zero, that is, the rocket isn t moving at all. Does this mean the rocket has no energy? If it does have energy, what type is it? d) Trace the path of energy from the rocket. Explain the transfer of energy through each step on the path.

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