Results

! ! The purpose of this experiment was to determine how variables in water volume, rocket pressure, and ambient pressure affected the apogee of a rocket. Water rockets were launched twenty seven times and the apogee, as well as the ambient pressure (air pressure) of the rockets was measured.. The hypothesis of this experiment was that increased air pressure, lower ambient pressure, and greater water volume will lead to increased apogees. The results show that 500 mL of water (second lowest value), 115 psi of pressure (highest value), and the highest ambient pressure (31.48 inches) created the highest apogees. ! The data was calculated using the formula . Theta is the angle measured with

the altimeter during experimentation. The opposite is twenty five because that was the distance between the launch and where the measurement was taken. The apogee is the adjacent. The formula can be derived to adjacent equals opposite divided by the tan of theta. On one launch, theta was equal to six. The tan of six is equal to approximately 0.105. Twenty-five divided by the tan of 6 is equal to approximately 237.9. Therefore, 237.9 is the apogee of the rocket. ! Graph 1 shows that the highest apogees were measured when the volume was 500 milliliters.

The hypothesis was that 1250 milliliters would yield the highest apogees. However, it was the second highest. In order from lowest to highest average apogee, the variables were 250 mL, 1000 mL, 750 mL, 1250 mL, and 500 mL.

Averages for Rocket Apogee Using Variable Volume

60

45 Apogee (m)

30

15

0 0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 Volume of Water (mL)

GRAPH 1

Rocket Apogees in Trial 1 Using Variable Volume with Ambient Pressure of 29.5 in
90

68 Apogee (m)

45

23

0 0 375 750 Volume of Water (mL) 1125 1500

GRAPH 2

Rocket Apogees in Trial 2 Using Variable Volume with Ambient Pressure of 30 in

110

83 Apogee (m)

55

28

0 0 375 750 Volume of Water (mL) 1125 1500

GRAPH 3

Rocket Apogees in Trial 3 Using Variable Volume with Ambient Pressure of 31.48 in
60

45 Apogee (m)

30

15

0 0 375 750 Volume (mL) 1125 1500

GRAPH 4

Apogees from All Trials Using Variable Volume

150 125 100 75 50 25 0 250 500 750 Volume (mL) 1000 1250

Apogee (m)

Trial 1
GRAPH 5 !

Trial 2

Trial 3

Graph 6 shows that, in pressure testing, the highest apogees were measured when the rocket

pressure was 115 psi. 115 psi was the highest pressure that was tested. The majority of the trials showed an increase in apogee as pressure was increased. The values, in order from lowest to highest apogees (on average), were 80 psi, 60 psi, 100 psi, and 115 psi. This aligns with the hypothesis that higher pressure would lead to higher apogee.

Averages for Rocket Apogee using Variable Pressure

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 20 40 60 Pressure (psi) 80 100 120

Apogee (m)

GRAPH 6

Rocket Apogees in Trial 1 Using Variable Pressure with an Ambient Pressure of 30 in

50 40 Apogee (m) 30 20 10 0 0 20 40 60 Pressure (psi) 80 100 120

GRAPH 7

Rocket Apogees in Trial 2 Using Variable Pressure with an Ambient Pressure of 31.48 in
40

30 Apogee (m)

20

10

0 0 30 60 Pressure (psi) 90 120

GRAPH 8

Rocket Apogees in Trial 3 Using Variable Pressure with an Ambient Pressure of 31.48 in
110

83 Apogee (m)

55

28

0 0 30 60 Pressure (psi) 90 120

GRAPH 9

Apogees from All Trials Using Variable Pressure

150

113 Apogee (m)

75

38

0 60 80 Pressure (psi) 100 115

Trial 1
GRAPH 10

Trial 2

Trial 3

Ambient Pressure vs. Apogee - Volume Trial Averages

60

45 Apogee (m)

30

15

0 29.5 30 Ambient Pressure (in) 31.48

Average Apogee for all volume trials

GRAPH 11

Graph 11 shows that the highest apogees were measured when the ambient pressure was the

highest (31.48 in). The hypothesis was that the lowest pressure would create the highest apogee. The pressures, in order from highest average apogee to lowest, were 31.48 in, 29.5 in, and 30 in.

Rocket Apogee with Variable Ambient Pressure, 80 psi, and 250 mL of Water
30

23 Apogee (m)

15

0 29.00 29.75 30.50 Ambient Pressure (in) 31.25 32.00

GRAPH 12

Average Rocket Apogee with Variable Ambient Pressure, 80 psi, and 1000 mL of Water
50

38 Apogee (m)

25

13

0 29.00 29.75 30.50 Ambient Pressure (in) 31.25 32.00

GRAPH 13

Rocket Apogee with Variable Ambient Pressure, 80 psi, and 500 mL of Water
150

113 Apogee (m)

75

38

0 29.00 29.75 30.50 Ambient Pressure (in) 31.25 32.00

GRAPH 14

Rocket Apogees with Variable Ambient Pressure, 80 psi, and 750 mL of Water
80

60 Apogee (m)

40

20

0 29.00 29.75 30.50 Ambient Pressure (in) 31.25 32.00

GRAPH 15

Rocket Apogees with Variable Ambient Pressure, 80 psi, and 750 mL of Water
90

68 Apogee (m)

45

23

0 29.00 29.75 30.50 Ambient Pressure (in) 31.25 32.00

GRAPH 16

Apogees from All Trials with Variable Ambient Pressure

150

113 Apogee (m)

75

38

0 250 500 750 Volume (mL) 1000 1250

29.5 in
GRAPH 17

30 in

31.48 in

Overall, the variables that had the highest average apogees were 500 mL of water, 1250 psi of

rocket pressure, and 31.48 in of ambient pressure.

Ambient Pressure (in) 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 31.48 Inside Volume Pressure (psi) (mL) 80 80 80 80 80 60 80 100 115 80 80 80 80 80 60 80 100 115 60 80 100 115 80 80 80 80 80 250 500 750 1000 1250 1000 1000 1000 1000 250 500 750 1000 1250 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 250 500 750 1000 1250 Angle Opposite (theta) 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 Tan of theta Apogee (m)

Apogee (ft)

82 7.11537 3.51352087 1.07092 50 1.19175 20.9774908 6.39394 25 0.46631 53.612673 16.3411 87.097 10 0.17633 141.782045 43.2152 5 0.08749 285.751308 25 0.46631 35 0.70021 35.7037002 10.8825 53.612673 16.3411 10 0.17633 141.782045 43.2152 9 0.15838 157.843788 48.1108 18 0.32492 76.9420884 23.4519 4 0.06993 357.516656 108.971 6 0.1051 237.859111 72.4995 53.612673 16.3411 25 0.46631

30 0.57735 43.3012702 13.1982 12 0.21256 117.615753 35.8493 50 1.19175 20.9774908 6.39394 32 0.62487 40.0083632 12.1945 35 0.70021 35.7037002 10.8825 35 0.70021 35.7037002 10.8825 25 0.46631 6 40 53.612673 16.3411 0.1051 237.859111 72.4995 0.8391 29.7938398 9.08116

4 0.06993 357.516656 108.971 8 0.14054 177.884243 54.2191 28 0.53171 47.0181616 14.3311 13 0.23087 108.286897 33.0058 50 1.19175 20.9774908 6.39394