Introduction and Overview:
For this extended essay, I will be working on building and optimizing different sized water rockets to find out the optimum amount of fuel (water) for each the different rocket sizes. I will be measuring the ranges at which each rocket will fly to find out the optimum fuel level.
A brief summary of water rockets:
A water rocket is made up of a selection of parts to provide its successful launch: the nose cone which will make the rather snub-nosed end of the large plastic bottle more aerodynamic. The fins which are important for ensuring that the rocket flies smoothly and remains balanced. As well as the main plastic body of the rocket which will act as the fuel tank and contain the air pressure as well. The main fuel used in the water rocket will be water and air pressure will be used to launch the main …show more content…
At first, only about 10% of the bottle’s capacity is filled with water, and placed on the launching mechanism.
3. By using the manual hand pump and the pressure gauge, 3 atmospheres of air is pumped (around 300 kPa)
4. The string attached to the shorter plumbing tube is pulled to launch the rocket at an angle of 45o
5. The measuring tape is used to measure the range (in meters) from where the rocket was launched to where it has landed.
6. The same water rocket and amount of fuel is set up again and the experiment is repeated two more times to find the average range at which this sized rocket achieves with this amount of fuel.
7. Then, steps 2 to 6 is repeated however, the amount of fuel is changed to 20%, then 30%, then 40% and finally 50% of the bottle’s capacity.
8. Afterwards, the bottle is changed and steps 1 to 7 is repeated with a 500 ml bottle then 1L then 1.5L, and finally a 2L bottle.
9. The averages of the different percentages of fuel levels for each different sized bottle is used to find the optimum amount of fuel required to achieve the maximum range for each different rocket size. Variables:
• Independent
For this extended essay, I will be working on building and optimizing different sized water rockets to find out the optimum amount of fuel (water) for each the different rocket sizes. I will be measuring the ranges at which each rocket will fly to find out the optimum fuel level.
A brief summary of water rockets:
A water rocket is made up of a selection of parts to provide its successful launch: the nose cone which will make the rather snub-nosed end of the large plastic bottle more aerodynamic. The fins which are important for ensuring that the rocket flies smoothly and remains balanced. As well as the main plastic body of the rocket which will act as the fuel tank and contain the air pressure as well. The main fuel used in the water rocket will be water and air pressure will be used to launch the main …show more content…
At first, only about 10% of the bottle’s capacity is filled with water, and placed on the launching mechanism.
3. By using the manual hand pump and the pressure gauge, 3 atmospheres of air is pumped (around 300 kPa)
4. The string attached to the shorter plumbing tube is pulled to launch the rocket at an angle of 45o
5. The measuring tape is used to measure the range (in meters) from where the rocket was launched to where it has landed.
6. The same water rocket and amount of fuel is set up again and the experiment is repeated two more times to find the average range at which this sized rocket achieves with this amount of fuel.
7. Then, steps 2 to 6 is repeated however, the amount of fuel is changed to 20%, then 30%, then 40% and finally 50% of the bottle’s capacity.
8. Afterwards, the bottle is changed and steps 1 to 7 is repeated with a 500 ml bottle then 1L then 1.5L, and finally a 2L bottle.
9. The averages of the different percentages of fuel levels for each different sized bottle is used to find the optimum amount of fuel required to achieve the maximum range for each different rocket size. Variables:
• Independent