Rocket Project
Rocket Project Cover Letter-
This year in math 10 we worked on various topics. For our final project we learned how to apply these topics into real world situations through the rocket project. In which our objective was to create a rocket from plastic bottles, trash bags, string, super glue and whatever else we could use around the classroom. Our objective was to have a rocket that could successfully be launched at 100 PSI. To do this we learned how to use Quadratic Functions and how Quadratic Function relates to projectile motion. A projectile is an object that rises and falls under the influence of gravity and the quadratic function helps us understand its work and what path it takes. We use SOH CAH TOA to estimate the maximum height of our rocket. We use Quadratic Functions to estimate position (the place in which our rocket is located) ,velocity (the speed of our rocket in a given direction) and acceleration (the increase in the rate or speed of which our rocket moves).
This process was introduced to us at the beginning of the unit through a mini project where we created catapults. We started by creating a blueprint which was the beginning stage of the engineering design process (ask, research, and imagine) and eventually testing followed by improvement from our trial and error (plain, create, test, and improve). Then we took this into a bigger scale and when we added more depth when creating our rockets. Learning this process was our guide on this project and allowed us to create an end result we felt good about and was put together with care.
Rocket Project Calculations-
Time of Max Height
To find the time max height we first viewed a video that shows our rocket launching and its flight. We found that 12 frames on an iphone is equal to the max height of our rocket. Because on an iphone it moves 30 frames per second, we count how many frames it takes for our rocket to reach max height, this allows us to divide our frames by 30. In this case we had 12 frames so we would divide 12 by 30. So this means that our time of max height would be .4 seconds.
Max Height
When calculating max height our first step was to find the angle of the rocket. In our case the angle was 19. We calculated using SOH CAH TOA and applied the angles we know to the equation. Using SOH CAH TOA we took y/200 times 200 followed by taking our found angle of 19 and plugging that into the tangent which SOH CAH TOA shows us to use. So the equation would be y=200tan(19) and if we plug that into a calculator y= 68.86ft, so this means the max height is 73.61.
Initial velocity
The next step was to find the initial velocity of our rocket which is the velocity at which the motion starts.
To find the initial velocity we use the max height and time of max height to solve for the initial velocity which looks like this ]
h(t)=-12(g)(t)2+Vo(t)+yo
68.86=-12(32)(0.4)2+Vo(0.4)+1.5
68.86=-16(0.4)2+Vo(0.4)+1.5
68.86=-2.56+Vo(0.4)+1.5
68.86=-1.06+Vo(0.4)
+1.06 +1.06
96.92/0.4=Vo(0.4)/0.4
Vo=175.8ft/s
and this is our initial velocity
Theoretical flight time
our final step was finding the theoretical flight time and to do that we used the Standard Form of a Quadratic ax2+ bx+c and the Quadratic Formula
-bb2-4ac
X =
2a
As well as the formula for height at any given time: h(t)= yo+Vo(t)-12(g)(t2),
h(t)=-12(32)t2+175.8xt+1.5
a=-12(32)=-16
b=175.8
c=1.5
-175.8175.82-4(-16)(1.5)
X =
2(-16)
t=-0.01
t=11.0 total flight time =11sec
Reflection-
- What challenges did you encounter in this project and how did you navigate those challenges?
Our biggest challenge during this project was communication. We did not communicate with each other on what each of us needed us to do. This hurt our productivity because we would leave all the work on a particular thing to one person. At certain times I felt like I was doing everything and others felt like I was doing nothing, and I believe this is the result of not being able to communicate. I would say we really didn't navigate this issue and try to fix it, this is what caused a lot of stress for all of us in this project. An example of us not being able to communicate was our poster. I said that I would complete it but I ended up being out of school and I did not communicate this with my group so all the work fell on one of my group member's shoulders. This was an example of how I could have communicated better during this project.
- What were your successes in this project and how would you relay those successes to next year’s sophomores?
We were successful in the creation of the rocket and our planning (for example the blueprint was very good). The blueprint had such good quality because it was an example of good collaboration. When we made this it was the beginning of the project and we were all sitting together and were able to clearly communicate what we wanted to do with it. We were able to create something that was both neat and also very functional including everything we wanted it to be. This success is what contributed to the overall success of our final project. I would recommend to future sophomores that they should focus on creating an effective plan to help guide them towards the success of their project. I would also recommend to future sophomores that they communicate with their partners and make sure there is no lack of communication between each other.
- What was a turning point for you in this project and why?
- What lessons did you learn while doing this project, and how could you apply those lessons in your future projects and life?
I learned that it's hard to communicate with a group especially when there is a lot of stress involved. I learned that when there is that stress it is important to navigate that and figure out. Because the better the communication the more the stress we could reduce. So when I go into future projects I will make sure I am on the same page as the rest of my group. I would just do the work I need to do and get it done even if there is miscommunication about it. Also next time I do a group project I will make sure that we all know what we need to do before we start, and that we check in to make sure it is done and or going well.
- If you were to do this project again, what would you do differently and why?
If I could go back and do this project again I would have handled our group's miscommunication by better collaborating so everyone knows what they needed to work on at a given time. I would have taken initiative on what I knew I needed to do. During our project I would ask to help and be told I got it. Which made me think it was all fine but really my other group members were stressed, so I Would like to have just refused and done things anyway so hopefully there would be less stress.
In terms of the rocket I would have spliced in order to make the rocket more aerodynamic. Our rocket did not go as high as I would have liked. I think splicing would have helped achieve the height we were aiming for. Another thing was the nose cone. If we made a better nose cone design it would have helped the aerodynamics and how effective our rocket was.
Blueprint-