Water Rockets: An Investigational Experiment
Water Rockets
Abstract
Water rockets have been a source of entertainment and education for many years. They are usually made with an empty 2-litre PET bottle by adding water and pressurizing it with air for launching. Water rockets are used to help students understand the principle of aeronautics.
Aim
The aim was to design and perform an experiment to determine the volume of water to use in order to obtain maximum height for the bottle rocket. Introduction
Bottle rockets are often used in science as an experimental apparatus. Researchers use rocketry to understand the principles of Newton’s law of motion. This report will investigate, design, perform and analyse an experiment on water rockets and explain how a water rocket reaches a maximum height using the concept of physics and experimental results.
Hypothesis
If the water level in the water rocket is increased, then the chances of obtaining the maximum height will also increase. This is because more thrust (force) is needed to make an object accelerate, and the greater the mass of an object, the greater the thrust it provides.
Theory Statement
The group will analyse and determine the amount of water needed to obtain the maximum height of the water rocket. Rocket motors generate a push or “thrust” by expelling a propellant out of the nozzle. The action is the movement of water out of the nozzle while the reaction is the forward motion of the rocket. The greater the “thrust”, the faster the rocket will accelerate. The other force that is acting on the rocket is the gravity; as the rocket goes up with the help of the thrust, the gravity pulls it down and brings the rocket back down to the ground. The group will use water because it is heavier and denser than air. More water molecules are packed into a given volume.
Risk Assessment 1. Select a grassy field at least 30m wide. 2. Place the launcher in the centre of the field. 3. Observers should stand back several metres (approximately
Abstract
Water rockets have been a source of entertainment and education for many years. They are usually made with an empty 2-litre PET bottle by adding water and pressurizing it with air for launching. Water rockets are used to help students understand the principle of aeronautics.
Aim
The aim was to design and perform an experiment to determine the volume of water to use in order to obtain maximum height for the bottle rocket. Introduction
Bottle rockets are often used in science as an experimental apparatus. Researchers use rocketry to understand the principles of Newton’s law of motion. This report will investigate, design, perform and analyse an experiment on water rockets and explain how a water rocket reaches a maximum height using the concept of physics and experimental results.
Hypothesis
If the water level in the water rocket is increased, then the chances of obtaining the maximum height will also increase. This is because more thrust (force) is needed to make an object accelerate, and the greater the mass of an object, the greater the thrust it provides.
Theory Statement
The group will analyse and determine the amount of water needed to obtain the maximum height of the water rocket. Rocket motors generate a push or “thrust” by expelling a propellant out of the nozzle. The action is the movement of water out of the nozzle while the reaction is the forward motion of the rocket. The greater the “thrust”, the faster the rocket will accelerate. The other force that is acting on the rocket is the gravity; as the rocket goes up with the help of the thrust, the gravity pulls it down and brings the rocket back down to the ground. The group will use water because it is heavier and denser than air. More water molecules are packed into a given volume.
Risk Assessment 1. Select a grassy field at least 30m wide. 2. Place the launcher in the centre of the field. 3. Observers should stand back several metres (approximately