2L Bottle Rocket – 8th Grade Earth Science pwoessner.com

Overview: Students will use the scientific method to accomplish this

project which requires planning, design, and examination of motion and

forces. Each student will design, build, test, launch, and refine their bottle

rocket. As they prepare for launch, they will predict how much fuel (water)

should be used for maximum performance. After launch, students evaluate

and adjust fuel load to improve performance.

Problems: motion, force, mass, gravity, friction, and speed (speed =

distance/time)

Areas: math, science, art, writing

Materials: 2L plastic bottle ruler markers? Hose/jugs of water

Cardboard or poster board scissors baggies/garbage bags

Construction paper? Pencil pennies/rocks

String glue water

Straws? Tape popsicle sticks?

Objectives: 1. Work to accomplish a launch

2. Work within a budget (free or household materials)

3. Use the scientific method and write up a final lab report

4. Find the center of mass of the rocket

5. Create a scale drawing or digital photo of the rocket

6. Design and launch the rocket

Stage I: Design Create a scale drawing of what you wish to do.

Have drawing OK’d by teacher.

Stage II: Construction Build (**do not permanently attach the nose cone yet!!!!)

Measure height, circumference, fin length, etc

Clean up station

Stage III: Prepare for Launch Find the center of mass using the swing test. (The center of mass should be

in front of the fins; if not affix pennies or rocks in a baggie under the nose

cone to balance, or fix your fins)

Now affix the nose cone; unless you have a parachute.

Stage IV: Launch Launch rocket. NEVER FILL MORE THAN ½ FULL WITH WATER!!!!!

Observe and record height (if can in meters), distance in meters, time in seconds, calculate speed.

(speed = distance/time)

Re-launch if time or needed.

Write up report: Name:

TITLE

Design: this can be a photo or your drawing.

Materials list: be detailed with amounts of everything.

Procedure: step by step list of what to do and how you did it WITH MEASUREMENTS FROM STAGE II.

Launch Data: record height in meters, distance in meters, and time in seconds, then calculate speed.

(speed = distance/time)

Conclusions:

Which design worked the best? (Give description, size of fins, # of fins, etc)

Does the amount of water affect flight?

Why/Explain.

Nose cone or no nose cone; which works better?

Why?

Did your rocket flip, tumble, or spin?

If so, why?

Did your rocket stay together?

Was your rocket aerodynamic?

Grading Rubric: 50 points total

Did not do 0

Designed but did not complete 10

Designed and built, but did not launch 20

Designed, built, launched, but no report 30

Designed, built, launched, and only partial report 40

Designed, built, launched, and a finished report 50