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How Far the Rocket Flies Depends on the MASS of the Rocket
Flight of Rocket (m)
Amount of Water Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average (mL)
in Rocket in 2
liter (mL)
250 72 45 66 61
500 69 54 60 61
750 63 63 69 65
625 66 63 69 66
Source: Belle Genzink Abby Busscher Isla Peterson 05/04/10

Research Question: How does mass effect the flight of the rocket?
Hypothesis: If the rocket has 125 mL of water in it, it will fly the furthest because it has enough weight
to keep it steady, but not too much to weigh it down.
Controlled Variables: Wing length, rocket style, rocket pressure, flight angle.
Materials Needed: 2 liter pop bottles and 20 ounce bottle, duct tape, water, measuring tools, card
board, scissors, camera, pressure launcher, big open space.

Procedure: Poor water into the bottle at the certain heights of 250mL, 500mL, 750mL, and 100mL and
mark on the bottle the level of the water too make it easier to pore water into the bottle without
measuring later in the experiment. Attach smaller 20 ounce bottle to the bottom of the 2 liter with duct
tape.

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Attach 10cm by 15cm wings made and cut out of card board to the bottle like in this picture. Then let
rocket go off with 250mL in it in the bottom 2 liter container and 100mL in the top. Never change the
100mL in the top of the bottle. Only change the water in the bottom by adding 250mL after each set of
trials. After shooting off the rocket, you may need to replenish the water supply in the bottle because it
often looses much of its water while flying. Repeat trial 3 times, then move on to the next amount of
water. Start from beginning and keep experimenting until you have reached 1000mL. Then you are
done!

To launch rocket: Place rocket onto metal tub, big bottle mouth down, without spilling too much water.
Pull metal clip with string over the rocket, add air pressure by turning the red dial, then step back and
pull the yellow string, yelling LAUNCH.

Conclusion: From the graph below, we can conclude that the mass of 625 mL is the best by a whole
meter by average. The graph starts with 250 mL of water being the worst, 500mL being the second to
worst, 625mL being the best by just a little, and 750mL being the second best. Our hypothesis was
sort of right, but as a class we thought that 500mL would be the best amount, when really 625mL was
perfect. Even though we did the trials for 250mL on a different day, the wind conditions were about
the same, so our data is pretty accurate.

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