Blast Off!! Name. Partner. Bell

Transcription

1 Blast Off!! Name Partner Bell During the next two days, you will be constructing a rocket and launching it in order to investigate trigonometry. The lab will be divided into two parts. During the first part, you and your group will construct your rocket. We will be talking about different aspects of engineering design that you can use in the creation of your rocket. On the second part, we will be going outside and launching each group s rocket. You will take data on the launch, and then there will be several calculations to complete at the end of the lab. Finally, you will draw conclusions about your overall design based on the success of your launch. SUPPLIES Rocket Construction One (1) 2-liter bottle Cardboard Duct tape Clear packing tape Scissors Other material(s) you choose to use in your rocket construction Rocket Launch Your rocket Launching device Angle measuring device Tape measure Caution: The launching device creates a pressure of 75psi in the rocket. It could explode, so it s important to stand clear (20-30 feet back) of the launching device at ALL times. 1

2 ENGINEERING DESIGN PRINCIPLES Before you begin rocket construction, let s talk about some different engineering design principles that you ll need to think about when constructing your rocket. Wings and Fins Most of the time, wings and fins are used for stabilization during the flight of an object. Think about a hand glider. What would happen to it if it didn t have the wings? Rounded Corners What makes something more aerodynamic? Do sharp, boxy edges make something more aerodynamic, or do sleek, curved lines help reduce wind resistance on an object? Think about how new cars compare to older models. Given that we know more about drag and aerodynamic design now, how will you incorporate this into your rocket? Nose Cone On every rocket, plane, and space shuttle you see, you ll find a nose cone. This cone is basically just a point on the top of the rocket. Like rounded corners, the nose cone reduces wind resistance. Since it s at the top of the rocket, this helps the rocket fly higher and straighter than it would with a flat nose. Think about how you could design a nose cone for your rocket. Aesthetics In the real world, aesthetics of an object matter. It s hard to get funding for something that looks like it will fail, and you should keep this in mind when designing your rocket. Pretend that you re making a scale model of something that could be in production for NASA. You want the money, so you had better make it look nice. Weight If an object is too heavy, it will never leave the ground. It s a simple concept, but pay attention to the weight you re adding to your rocket when you attach materials. Also, pay attention to the tape you re using. The weight of the tape can add-up fast! 2

3 STEP ONE: DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION (10 pts)- Now you re ready to begin your rocket design and construction! Use the blank space on this page to draw a rough sketch (it doesn t have to be anything fancy) before you begin construction. Rocket Design 3

4 STEP TWO: ROCKET LAUNCH (5 pts) - It s time to launch your rocket! The launch pad will already be set-up for you, but when it s time for you to launch your rocket; you will need the following items: Your rocket Angle measurement device Tape measure Record which members of your group are assigned to which job. Job Description Group Member Launcher Distance Measurer Angle Measurer Responsible for operating the air pump and launching the rocket. Use the tape measure to measure how far the rocket traveled from the launch pad. Use the angle measurement device to read the angle of the rocket when it reaches the apex (highest point) of its flight. 4

5 STEP THREE: MEASUREMENT (5 pts) - Use the diagram below to record your measurements during the rocket launch. VARIABLE WHAT IT IS ACTION hp Height of the person using the angle measuring device Measured hm Height of the triangle shown in the diagram Calculated θ dp Angle from person using the angle measuring device to the rocket at its apex Distance from the person using the angle measuring device to the rocket launch pad Measured Measured dx Total horizontal distance of the rockets flight Measured dy Vertical height achieved by the rocket Calculated Apex of Flight hm = dy = hp = θ = dp = Launch Pad dx = 5

6 STEP FOUR: TRIGONOMETRY CALCULATIONS (10 pts each = 30 pts) CALCULATION OF THE TRIANGLE BASE Hint: To find the length of the base of the triangle, you need to add dp to something...maybe half of something you measured... hm θ BASE BASE = CALCULATION OF hm Since you know the triangle is a right triangle, use your trig rules to calculate hm. Since you know θ and the base of the triangle, you can find hm. Show you work below, then record the value on your picture. CALCULATION OF dy You can now find dy (the maximum height reached by the rocket). Show you work below, then record the value on your picture. 6

7 STEP FIVE: DATA ANALYSIS (30 pts) Use the table below to record the class data and do calculations GROUP # dy GROUP # dy CLASS AVERAGE = CLASS MEDIAN = You MUST show units to get credit!! MAXIMUM = MINIMUM = DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAX AND MIN = 7

8 STEP SIX: REFLECTION (20 pts) To get credit for this ENTIRE project you must answer these questions. 1. In order to use the formulas you used to calculate dy and dx, you had to make some assumptions about the experiment. List some (two or more) of the assumptions that you made. Hint: Think about how the flight path looks. What shape is it? 2. Was your rocket above or below the class average? 3. Your rocket design contributed heavily to how well your rocket flew. List some good things about your design (things that helped your rocket fly well). 4. List some things about your design you would improve if you were to do this experiment again. 8

9 GRADING RUBRIC Excellent (10 pts) Good (7 pts) Mediocre (4 pts) Poor (2 pts) 0 Design & Construction Rocket Launch Calculations Incorporated all engineering design principles (wings, nose cone, rounded edges, etc.) into the rocket design Paid attention to aesthetics High creativity (used materials in unique ways or used uncommon materials) Successful launch (displays parabolic trajectory) All work shown Correct equations used Correct answers Incorporated all engineering design principles (wings, nose cone, rounded edges, etc.) into the rocket design Some attention to aesthetics Some creativity Successful launch (no parabolic trajectory) Unsuccessful launch due to unforeseeable events (not due to poor design) All work shown Correct equations used Some incorrect answers due to math mistakes Some engineering design principles used in the rocket design No attention to aesthetics Some creativity Unsuccessful launch due to poor construction (rocket stuck to launcher or blew-up on launch pad) Some work shown Some incorrect equations used or equations used incorrectly Incorrect answers Little to no engineering design principles used in the rocket design No attention to aesthetics No attempt at creativity Unsuccessful launch due to poor design (rocket stuck to launcher or blew-up on launch pad) Little to no work shown Many incorrect equations used Many incorrect answers Incomplete Incomplete Incomplete Reflection Able to correctly identify and use trigonometry concepts Able to interpret results of launch Able to draw conclusions based on the rocket design Able to correctly identify and use trigonometry concepts Able to interpret most results of the launch Able to draw conclusions based on the rocket design Able to identify and use some trigonometry concepts Able to interpret some results of the launch Able to draw some conclusions based on the rocket design Able to identify and use little or no trigonometry concepts Not able to correctly interpret the results of the launch Not able to draw conclusions based on the rocket design Incomplete 9

10 STEP SEVEN: ASSESMENT Below is a breakdown of your grade for this lab. Please grade yourself on all of the aspects of this project. I will take your grade into consideration when grading your projects. Section Maximum Points Design & Construction 10 Grade You Gave Yourself Your Actual Grade Rocket Launch / Measurement 10 Trigonometry Calculations 30 Data Analysis Calculations 30 Reflection 20 Total = (Out of 100 Points) 10

11 Activity Feedback 1. What did you like most about today s activities? 2. What did you like the least about today s activities? 3. How would you rate your interest in the field of engineering? Very interested Somewhat interested Not Sure No interest at all 4. Did this program affect your interest in engineering in any way? Increased my interest Decreased my interest Did not affect my interest 5. How would you rate your level of learning today? a lot a little nothing new 11