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Rocket Mania

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Abstract

In this challenge, students will construct rockets made from pipe insulating foam and use them to investigate the trajectory relationship between launch angle and range in a controlled setup. Students will follow the engineering design process to design and build the rocket and will figure out how to improve their design based on testing results and the related theoretical concepts.

This activity should be developed in groups of 3 learners. Teachers should help maintain the motivation of the learners particularly when they are struggling with their concept (the rocket does not move or moves randomly).

Learning Outcomes

Skills and Competences

The learners can develop the following skills and competences:

  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Leadership
  • Communication and presentation skills
  • Designing a solution to a complex problem by breaking it into small, manageable problems
  • Apply the engineering design process to solve problems
  • Management of time and resources

Knowledge

The following knowledge can be gathered by the learners:

  • Basic principles of energy (kinetic and potential)
  • Basic principles of ballistics

Basic mathematical principles (angles and measure units)

Other Instructions

Collect the materials assigned to you.

  1. Using scissors, cut one 30-cm length of pipe foam.
  2. Cut four equally spaced slits at one end of the tube. The slits should be about 12 cm long. The fins will be mounted through these slits.
  3. Cut a 12 cm length of duct tape down the middle to make two pieces. Place one piece over the other, sticky to shiny side, to make the tape double-strong.
  4. Slip a rubber band over the tape and press the tape around the nose end of the rocket (opposite the end with the slits). Press the tape tightly and reinforce it with another length of tape wrapped around the tube.
  5. Cut fin pairs from the foam food tray or stiff cardboard. Refer to the fin diagram. Both fin pairs should be notched so that they can be slid together as shown in the diagram. Different fin shapes can be used, but they should still “nest” together.
  6. Slide the nested fins into the slits cut in the Launch angle vs. range for rockets with the same initial launch velocity rear end of the rocket. Close off the slits with a piece of duct tape wrapped around the foam tube. The rocket is finished.
  7. Print the quadrant pattern on card stock paper.
  8. Cut out the pattern and fold it on the dashed line.
  9. Tape the quadrant to the meter stick so that the black dot lies directly over the 60 cm mark on the stick.
  10. Press a push tack into the black dot.
  11. Tie a string to the push tack and hang a small weight, such as a nut or a washer, on the string. The weight should swing freel

URL

RESOURCES

Author

Carlos Vaz de Carvalho
Carlos Vaz de Carvalho

Language

English

Main Topics

Science

Keywords

Ballistics Energy Kinematics Motion Rocket