Reflection from Rocket project:

1. Analyze your rocket's motion:

1. How long was your rocket in the air?

Ans. Our Rocket was in the air for average of 2.5 seconds.

2. Estimate your rocket's maximum height. Show and explain all calculations.

Ans. Firstly, we thought that the time between when the rocket comes down to the same height

as the launching height and to the ground is very little, so we cut that part off, assuming the projectile is

launched and landed at the same height (only in this case). We divided the time into half, because we

only need the height when the rocket is launched from the launcher to the highest point. Also, we

combined two equations by plugging one into other one. Also, we assumed that the rocket has constant

mass in the whole flight.

sy = uyt + (0.5)gt2 ------- (1)

vy = uy + gt
uy = vy + gt ------- (2)
Substitute (2) in (1):

sy = (vy - gt)t + (0.5)gt2

sy = vyt - gt2 + (0.5)gt2
sy = vyt - (0.5)gt2 ------- (3)
From (3):

t = 1.25 s, vy = 0
sy = vyt - (0.5)gt2
sy = - (0.5)(9.8)(1.25)2
sy = 7.66 m
Total height (launcher + launched height) = 0.75 + 7.66 = 8.41 m from the ground.
3. What was your rocket's maximum velocity? Show and explain all calculations.

Ans. In this case, as we estimate that the height of the launcher to be 0.75m, we find the total by

using the same formula, but the time is the normal time, 2.5 seconds, and the height is the height from

the launcher to the ground.

sy = vyt - (0.5)gt2

0.75 = vy(2.5) - (0.5)(-9.8)(2.5)2

vy = 12.55 m/s
2. What role did friction play in the performance of your rocket? Did it aid or hinder?

Ans. As the rocket flew straight up into the air, there was a friction between the rocket surface and the

air. This friction is called air resistance, and it hindered the performance of our rocket. Therefore, our

rocket got dragged down to the ground very fast as the rocket turned and made more surface contact the

air.

3. Beginning with the stored mechanical energy in the pressurized rocket, explain the multiple

transformations the energy goes through

Ans. There are many energy transformations throughout the experiment. At first, when we pump the

pressure, we create mechanic energy in order to fill the pressure for our rocket. Then, as the pressure

travels to the rocket, the pressure within become stored mechanical energy. Later, as the rocket

launches, kinetic energy drives the rocket to fly up the sky. It then converts into Gravitational Potential

energy as it reaches the highest point and again become kinetic energy as it descends.

4. How did undertaking this project improve your understanding of work and energy?

Ans. When the rocket is launched to the highest point, the kinetic energy of the rocket is at minimum and

the gravitational potential energy of the rocket is at maximum. Just before the rocket hits the ground, the

kinetic energy of the rocket is at maximum and the gravitational potential energy of the rocket is at

minimum.

5. How did you feel about this project when it was first assigned?

Ans. The first time we have heard about this project, we were kind of surprised and interested. Some of

us had built a bottle rocket before but that was a few years ago. We have learned more about forces,

work, and energy. So we thought that we would be able to create a better rocket by applying the

knowledge we got from studying physics this year.

6. How do you feel about this project now that it has concluded?
Ans. We are kind of disappointed from the result when we compare it to the other teams but we still had

a lot of fun building it. We tried fixing it while we were taking the total of 4 trials by putting in clay to

increase the weight of the rocket so that it can resist the air resistance. However, it didn’t change the

result of our rocket as we hoped it would.

7. What would you have done differently as you and your team worked through this project?

Ans. If we were to work through this project again, we would definitely change our design of the rocket. It

was clear that our design for the rocket was not suitable for it to go straight up. The head of the rocket

turned everytime we launched it. The length of the rocket was too long so the head of the rocket was far

from the center of gravity. The fins were sharp and they were attached at the middle of the rocket. We

didn’t put in a nose cone. Also, as we thought that a heavy rocket wouldn’t be able to fly very high, we

intended to make a very light rocket. Therefore, when the air hit the head of the rocket, it was easily

turned. To improve our design, we would decrease the length of our rocket, make the fins rounder and

move them down to the bottom, add a nose cone in the head, and put in a bit more mass. If we modify

our rocket according to this, it will be able to resist more air resistance and fly higher than it did this time.

Analysis
 As mentioned in the above answers, our rocket flew but it failed to meet our expectation. First, we

made the rocket too long, and when we attached the clay on the top of the rocket, it is too far from the

center of gravity. When it is too far from the center of gravity and the rocket tilts a little, the rocket will spin

a lot after. Second, we didn’t add a nose cone, which would play an important role in preventing air

resistance. Third, our fins were sharp and they were attached at the middle of the rocket. They didn’t work

very well in resisting air resistance. A better way would be to make our fins rounder and put them at the

bottom of the rocket. We would have to consider more factors that would impact the performance of the

rocket so it would be able to resist more friction and fly higher.