Rocket Project Summary
Introduction:
The variable Grace, David and Ben tested was the shape of the fins, and how it determines the height of the launch. We all used two two liter bottles to construct our rockets, spray painted them gold, and used cardboard for the fins. We used the same amount of water, pressure and design of each rocket. Below are the different types of fins that we used. Grace made triangular fins, Ben made square fins, and David made a trapezoid type of fins.
We chose fins as our variable because we wanted to see if fin really did effect the height of the rocket, and if so how much. Fins help to stabilize the rocket, make it more aerodynamic, and if placed correctly, help make it shoot straight upwards instead of curving in midair. We predict that the triangle fins will have the highest launch because they have the least amount of drag.
Does the shape of fins affect the height? If the fins affect the height then it will make the rocket go further because the fins keep it straight and stable.
(Pictures: left to right, Grace’s, Ben’s, and David’s.)
Procedure:
To make sure that we kept all the other variables constant we would measure and makes sure the values were equal when building and testing. The hardest variable to keep constant was the mass because prior to building our rockets we had no determined mass, but having the other constant variables made it easy to have them be almost exactly the same mass. We think that the mass wasn’t equal because of the different amounts of spray paint and duct tape we each used. Another variable hard to keep constant was the amount of water. When mounting the rocket on the launchpad water would spill or leak out of the rocket.
Introduction:
The variable Grace, David and Ben tested was the shape of the fins, and how it determines the height of the launch. We all used two two liter bottles to construct our rockets, spray painted them gold, and used cardboard for the fins. We used the same amount of water, pressure and design of each rocket. Below are the different types of fins that we used. Grace made triangular fins, Ben made square fins, and David made a trapezoid type of fins.
We chose fins as our variable because we wanted to see if fin really did effect the height of the rocket, and if so how much. Fins help to stabilize the rocket, make it more aerodynamic, and if placed correctly, help make it shoot straight upwards instead of curving in midair. We predict that the triangle fins will have the highest launch because they have the least amount of drag.
Does the shape of fins affect the height? If the fins affect the height then it will make the rocket go further because the fins keep it straight and stable.
(Pictures: left to right, Grace’s, Ben’s, and David’s.)
Procedure:
To make sure that we kept all the other variables constant we would measure and makes sure the values were equal when building and testing. The hardest variable to keep constant was the mass because prior to building our rockets we had no determined mass, but having the other constant variables made it easy to have them be almost exactly the same mass. We think that the mass wasn’t equal because of the different amounts of spray paint and duct tape we each used. Another variable hard to keep constant was the amount of water. When mounting the rocket on the launchpad water would spill or leak out of the rocket.