#Bottle rocket full#

Because an altimeter measures air pressure to determine elevation changes, it will not give accurate readings if you pack it in an airtight container or bag. Be sure to pack it in plastic wrap to protect it from moisture or water spills. Most of these sensors are not water-resistant. These sensors are small and hard to find when they detach during flight.

When using an electronic sensor on a rocket, remember to attach it well. Or, keeping the mass of the rocket (and thus also the water level in the bottle rocket at launch) unchanged, one can use the average acceleration during boost as a measure of the force created by the thrust, gravity, and drag combined during boost. To understand the measured acceleration, it is good to know Newton's second law of motion, which states that if the same force is applied to a heavier rocket, the rocket will accelerate less. A display of recorded flight data from the Jolly Logic Altimeter Three software.

Total flight duration: Time window between takeoff and landing.įigure 3.

Maximum velocity: The highest speed reached, expressed in m/s or mph (miles per hour).

The maximum speed is reached when burn time ends.

Burn time: Time window starting at takeoff during which your rocket experiences a positive acceleration.

Average boost acceleration: The average acceleration over the initial boost period.

Peak boost acceleration: The highest acceleration measured during the initial boost period.

An acceleration of 1 g at launch means the rocket will go from rest to a speed of 9.8 m/s in 1 second. It is often expressed in m/s² or in multiples of g, where g is the gravitational acceleration near Earth (about 9.8 m/s²).

Acceleration: How fast the rocket gains or loses speed.

Apogee: Highest point reached during a rocket flight.

Below are a few parameters that might be provided by a sensor, and what they mean. Other sensors record certain values that characterize a flight. Some sensors may continuously log data throughout the entire flight, producing detailed information of how altitude, speed, and acceleration change over time. Adding less or more water to the bottle before takeoff.Įlectronic sensors, like an accelerometer (which measures acceleration) or an altimeter (which measures the rocket's altitude by measuring barometric pressure) provide measurements about the flight path.Pumping air to a higher or lower pressure in the bottle before launch.Adding a payload (cargo) to the rocket.Adding fins or a nose cone, or changing the shape of the rocket in other ways.Some items you can consider changing are: As you change the rocket or the launch procedure, think about which forces that act on the rocket (thrust, gravity, and drag) change, and how these changes will influence the path the rocket takes. The typical path of a bottle rocket consists of an initial boost after which the rocket coasts to its highest point (the apogee). Earth's gravity pulls the rocket down, and air resistance or drag works against the movement of the rocket. This push is referred to as thrust and projects the rocket forward. Initially, while the bottle rocket expels water (or the rocket expels exhaust), the rocket gets a boost. In this project, you will take measurements of the flight path to evaluate how a change in the rocket design or launch procedure impacts the rocket's performance. Rocket design and operation is a fascinating field and analyzing the flight path provides insight into the rocket's performance.

#Bottle rocket full#

If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk (*) at the end of the title. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum.

Use the information in the summary tab as a starting place. For this science project you will need to develop your own experimental procedure.