APPB: 2L Rocket Eggmission- The Catastrophe

 

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PART 1: QFT- Rocket Science- How can this project answer one of your questions?

Top 3 Questions
1. How do I build the rocket? I built the rocket using about 2 1/2 soda bottles, strapping tape, clear tape, cardboard, and hot glue [external]. For the protection of the egg I used packaging peanuts, clay, and bubble wrap[internal].

 2. What's the ideal design for a non tumbling rocket? Even though our rocket has not had a smooth ride during launches, the ideal design is a rocket with stable and sturdy fins with smaller fins that help guide/streamline the air towards the bigger fins.
3. How do fins help the rocket fly? Fins help the rocket fly by adding stability- guiding the air by the bottle to push the rocket straight.
---> The project answered the first question by catapulting us to actually start figuring out the designs when drawing out the diagrams and the relentless re-buildings of the rocket. After we'd build one, we'd go outside and throw it around to see if its flight was okay. This was not the most accurate way of testing it, but it allowed us to actually think of designs and shapes of parts to make "The Catastrophe." For example, our first fin design was a parallelogram shape, but it just seemed too bulky and square to glide through the air. Therefore, we took it old-school and used the curvy fin shape to help guide the rocket's flight:

http://phineasandferb.wikia.com/wiki/Out_to_Launch

PART 2: Making of Your Rocket- Do a feature on making your rocket include pictures, diagrams, materials, and how did you make it?

• Materials used (not listed): spray paint,washable kid's paint, paintbrushes

 THE DESIGN
The Process (step-by-step):
1)  Gather your materials--- put thin strips of strapping tape going around the circumference of the bottles which will help keep constant pressure within the bottle

2) Keep one bottle idle and DO NOT CUT THAT BOTTLE! For the other bottle, you cut about 3/4 of the bottle and set the "butt" section of that bottle to the side, do not throw it away- you will use it later for the egg holder.

3) Cut another bottle's bottom off and about 5-8 inches of the midsection to use as a shaft to keep the egg holder in place. and cut the nozzle section off of the 3rd bottle

4) Bottle #2's nozzle should fit within one of the cut bottom sections where nozzle #3 fits within the cut bottom section like so:

5) Place the cut midsection on to the idle bottle's bottom section, then place #2's bottom section in the make-shift shaft

6) Stuff clay into the bottom section areas and nozzle sections to add more weight to the front of the rocket. Then add about a handful and a half of packaging peanuts to bottle #2's nozzle. And add packaging peanuts to the cut section to insulate nozzle #3 which will act as the cover.

7) Use Elmer's glue to glue bubble wrap to nozzle #3's insides and on the cutout bottom section  within the makeshift shaft.

8) Create a template of a roundish rocket shape for fins on thick cardboard- or if you have thin cardboard, cut out to copies of it to make the it thicker. Then, layer/place clear tape over the fins to create a protective layer over the weak cardboard.

9) TAPE EVERYTHING together now!... Unless you are putting in an egg, so add the egg and then tape the two parts together.. and the fins

10) Paint your rocket if needed...

It should look like the picture above... except that the one above does not have the top nozzles covering the egg holder

PART 3: Physics of the Rocket
In the beginning, before it flies- the rocket is held in by friction because the holdy thing creates friction with the nozzle to keep the rocket from flying away as the pressure if being pumped into it. While the pressure is being pumped into the  rocket, there is potential energy developing from the 80psi and 720mL of pressurized water which will become the fuel for "The Catastrophe." The higher pressure molecules within the water chamber escape out to the lower pressure external environment which causes the upward push to fly.

https://c9c6d367-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/babybottlerocketdeems/questions-and-answers/question-1/Screen%20Shot%202012-12-19%20at%201.51.26%20PM.png?attachauth=ANoY7crVVehiHq7Z7yf8knaN_EYvoXLKz5d2ixO_z8iVA7PUYSre1Ddu7uKft12DxgO7_GrBrGSMyG-37YSyNm2z1yWOT09-xpG6uYBjLJFR331lO4lV_LxDS5tNX0I2tKkUhgC2CdxDY-bT9I2VKlFZF5BEG0onSp_MVmzhu-x8KnIhA2371blXTs8Nj6S2NIP4ybtKWL6q5Sj2EVYdBTUYIl0JG_MLgWDVuFW-emGRVAdD2uy_ZOEmJhXtYqaTA8YcuEyV9Rkc4u6xCWFd6yaROu-Tx5klC0lM16qa3X3d3dY4PoKAOi0-xqYYoY5pBrtRlojuHnbo&attredirects=1

While the rocket is in flight, Newton's 3rd Law is in works because gases are so pressured that they need to escape out of the nozzle (as explained earlier before). Since the gases escape out the nozzle, the push force makes the rocket move in the opposite direction. As its in flight, there is kinetic energy in the works because the rocket is in movement and thus has energy moving through the air.

https://c9c6d367-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/babybottlerocketdeems/questions-and-answers/question-1/Screen%20Shot%202012-12-19%20at%201.51.26%20PM.png?attachauth=ANoY7crVVehiHq7Z7yf8knaN_EYvoXLKz5d2ixO_z8iVA7PUYSre1Ddu7uKft12DxgO7_GrBrGSMyG-37YSyNm2z1yWOT09-xpG6uYBjLJFR331lO4lV_LxDS5tNX0I2tKkUhgC2CdxDY-bT9I2VKlFZF5BEG0onSp_MVmzhu-x8KnIhA2371blXTs8Nj6S2NIP4ybtKWL6q5Sj2EVYdBTUYIl0JG_MLgWDVuFW-emGRVAdD2uy_ZOEmJhXtYqaTA8YcuEyV9Rkc4u6xCWFd6yaROu-Tx5klC0lM16qa3X3d3dY4PoKAOi0-xqYYoY5pBrtRlojuHnbo&attredirects=1

We designed it by making the front part more aerodynamic in flight by preserving the nozzle shape and not using the bottom section as the top. The curved fins were used because of the round shape that prove to be more aerodynamic due to the roundness the makes the air curve around the object. Its round shape keeps the rocket from flying against air resistance, making a smoother flight.

Credits: Hop Nguyen

PART 4: Protecting the Egg
My rocket protects the egg by extending the time of impact to reduce the force having the extended nozzle system protecting the top part. The packaging peanuts were used to have the force dispersed into smaller areas to reduce the force in a whole. I thought the packaging peanuts would absorb the force with the material used to make the peanuts.
Changing the degree from 45 to 38 (37.5), we lowered its likeliness of landing straight down on its nose which would just crush the egg. Decreasing the amount of degrees allows the rocket to have a more horizontal landing which causes it to ultimately land with a sliding motion instead of a thud.

PART 5: Result Time
The Catastrophe flew 49 meters and the egg broke because of the fin's instability. At the test launch we tested at 37.5 degrees, but on the actual launch date, we launched at 38 degrees. On the test launch of  January 13th- we tried 700mL and 725mL--- on the actual launch date we used 720mL because that actually balanced the weight at the front of the rocket. Our rocket failed at protecting the egg, but it went 30m. The rocket failed because the wings were falling off in flight and they weren't taped on correctly/securely because we were in a haste to launch.

PART 6: What did you learn?
I learned that we should weigh the rocket someway to balance the weight across the rocket evenly. Also, there should be a better material to be used for the fins so they don't fall off nor bend. Because of our trials and tribulations of rocket-building, we learned to take our time when preparing everything. The ultimate downfall of "The Catastrophe" was because we were in a rush to launch and get everything done that we did not think twice to check if the tape/fins were secure enough for the flight. We, mostly I, learned that we should do things to learn it and correctly- not just do it to get it over with... (i.e. the failure of the fins).

http://cdn.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2010/01/spaceshuttle_2a917.jpg