Rocket Science Pre and Post

Transcription

1 Rocket Science Pre and Post Mad Science sparks imaginative learning with inquiry-based science for children. Ask us about other programs that meet regional curriculum requirements Included are activities for you to do with the class before and after the workshop to reinforce the concepts and terms in the lesson. There is also a section on activity extensions; books, resource suggestions; vocabulary; and a Rocket Science pop quiz related to the topic. BEFORE THE WORKSHOP To maximize the workshop s impact and educational value, we recommend introducing the students to the concepts of space and rocket science prior to the workshop. Here are several fun, easy, and educational activities that will prepare the class for the workshop. These experiments will also help the students become familiar with the concept of observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and the scientific method. Pop Can Engine Students learn how Newton s Third Law of Motion applies to rocket science. Materials Soda pop can (empty and clean, with tab still attached) Nail Nylon fishing line 50cm (20") Bucket/tub of water Paper towel Pair of scissors 2009 Mad Science Rocket Science 1

2 Note: The following activity may be done as a demonstration for younger students, or as a group activity for older students. Procedure 1. Before class, lay the can on its side and use the nail to punch a hole in the side, near the bottom. Push the nail to one side so that the hole slants in one direction. Repeat three more times, rotating the can 90 degrees each time, to create four holes all slanting in the same direction around the bottom of the can. 2. Bend the can s tab up, and tie a 50cm (20") length of fishing line to it. 3. In class, dip the can in water to fill it. 4. Hold the can by the string above the bucket or tub. Have students observe its motion and the direction of the water as it pours out. 5. Discuss how the results could apply to rocket propulsion (see explanation below). Extension activity: Change variables such as the number and size of holes to observe how they affect the number of spins. E.g., does a can with more holes spin more than one with fewer? Explanation Newton s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this activity, the water pours out of the can in one direction, and the can spins in the opposite direction. This action-reaction pair is similar to what happens during a rocket launch. A rocket can only overcome the force of gravity and achieve lift-off by releasing gas from its engine. The action in this case is the engine pushing out the gas. The reaction is the gas pushing back on the rocket, leading to the rocket s movement in the opposite direction. Paper Rockets Students design, construct, and fly paper rockets to travel the greatest distance possible. Materials Paper, letter-sized (2 per student) Transparent tape (1 per group) Scissors (1 per group) Pencils (sharp, thick) (1 per student) Milkshake straws (thinner than pencils) (1 per student) Masking tape Procedure 1. Before class, cut each piece of paper into four equal pieces. Make enough pieces for each student to have one. 2. Distribute a piece of paper, pencil, and straw to each student. 3. Divide the class into five groups, and give each group scissors and tape Mad Science Rocket Science 2

3 4. Instruct the students to wrap the piece of paper around the pencil, and tape it to make a tube. Have them fold over one end of the tube and tape it closed. 5. Have the students remove the pencils, and write their names on their paper tubes. 6. Line the students up in a row on one side of the classroom, and have them insert their straws into their paper tubes. 7. Instruct the students to blow into their straws to launch the paper rockets across the room. Extension Activity: Have students create and attach paper fins to their paper rockets to experiment with aerodynamics. You can place masking tape on the floor at intervals to create a target range and measure the distance the rockets fly. Explanation A rocket is a chamber that encloses a gas under pressure. Gas escaping from a hole in one end creates the force needed to propel the rocket in the other direction. These paper rockets and real rockets launched into space both use pressurized gas. A breath of pressurized carbon dioxide propelled the paper rockets. In a real rocket launch, a burning solid or liquid propellant produces gas Mad Science Rocket Science 3

4 AFTER THE WORKSHOP Here are some activities you may wish to do with the class after the workshop to reinforce and expand the science concepts. Fuel Fundamentals Students learn how surface area and temperature can affect the power of rocket fuels. Materials Effervescent antacid tablets (four per group) Clear plastic cups (four per group) Paper (1 per student) Pencils (1 per student) Wood block (1 per group) Watch or clock (1 per group; must measure seconds) Thermometer (1 per group) Warm water Cold water Safety Warning: Do not allow the children to eat the antacid tablets. Procedure 1. Before class, fill ten cups of cold water. 2. Divide the children into five groups. 3. Distribute paper, pencils, a wood block, two antacid tablets, a watch or clock, and two cups with cold water to each group. 4. Instruct the students to wrap one antacid tablet in paper and carefully crush it with the wood block. Inform them to make sure no part of the tablet is lost, or it may affect their results. 5. Ask students to predict how long it will take for a whole effervescent tablet to dissolve in water, and for the crushed one to dissolve. 6. Instruct them to drop the tablet in one cup and the crushed tablet in the other at the same time. They should observe the reaction and record the time it takes for each to dissolve completely. 7. Discuss their observations. 8. Pass out a cup of warm and cold water to each group, along with a thermometer. 9. Have students test one tablet in warm and cold water to see which dissolves faster. 10. Discuss how their observations could relate to methods for increasing the power of rocket fuels. Explanation The first experiment measures the relationship between the chemical s exposed surface area and its reaction rate in water. The second experiment 2009 Mad Science Rocket Science 4

5 measures the chemical s reaction rate in different water temperatures. A greater surface area and higher temperature both lead to faster reaction rates. These findings can be applied to the propellants used to launch rockets. Increasing the burning surface and temperature of the propellants leads to an increased thrust force. By making rocket fuels more efficient, scientists can improve rocket performance. Forces Affecting Flight Students learn about the four forces that affect flight, and apply this knowledge in designing their own aircrafts. Materials Paper, letter-sized (2 per student) Scissors (1 per student) Transparent tape (1 per student) Pencils (1 per student) Procedure 1. Discuss the four forces that affect flight. The two opposing horizontal forces are thrust (forward) and drag (backward), and the two opposing vertical forces are lift (up) and gravity (down). 2. Explain that they will design paper airplanes to experiment with these forces. 3. Hand out paper, scissors, and tape to each student. Instruct them to create a plane for a test-flight. Make sure they label their planes with their names! 4. When all the planes are ready, gather in a large open space to test their designs with a plane launch. 5. After the launch, give the children another chance to create a paper plane, and apply the changes they would like to make based on their initial results. 6. Have a second plane launch. 7. Discuss their findings, and what shapes and techniques worked well. Explanation For any aircraft or spacecraft to move upwards and forwards, it must have a lift force stronger than gravitational force, and a thrust force stronger than drag force. This is very important for flying airplanes and launching rockets. Outside of Earth s atmosphere, there is very little drag force because there is no air to cause friction. Because of this, rockets work better in space than they do in Earth s atmosphere. The gas leaving the engine does not need to push against surrounding air, so less rocket energy is used Mad Science Rocket Science 5

6 MORE TO DO Language Arts Have the students imagine living in a spacecraft with very little gravity. Instruct them to write a story about how life on Earth would be different without gravity. Have the students imagine that they are world-famous astronauts who are about to participate in a rocket launch and go on a space mission. Have them write a newspaper article in which they are interviewed about their training and expectations for space travel. Art Provide students with various materials including paper towel tubes, clay, glitter, stickers, tape, and construction paper. Have them create and decorate their ideal rocket model. String the rockets up around the class to display them. Math Provide the children with different two-dimensional or three-dimensional geometric shapes, like cylinders and squares, to create a rocket. Ask them to name the different shapes they used. Display a few different rocket models. Using the equations for the volume of a cone (V=1/3πr 2 h) and a cylinder (V=πr 2 h), have the students calculate the volumes of the different rockets to find out which rocket has the greatest volume. E.g., if the volume of the nose cone is 49cm 3 (3in 3 ), and the volume of the cylindrical rocket body is 82cm 3 (5in 3 ), adding them together gives a volume of 131cm 3 (8in 3 ). Social Studies Assign each student to research the life of an astronaut, and have them present their findings in a short speech. Learn about the space race of the 1950 s and 1960 s, including Sputnik and the first man on the moon. As a class, explore what else happened in music, fashion, and politics at the same time in history. Field Trip Suggestions Visit an observatory Mad Science Rocket Science 6

7 BOOKS Title: I want to be an astronaut Author: Barton, Byron Publisher: Crowell ISBN#: Description: In this book, a young girl gets to experience life as an astronaut, including experiencing zero-gravity, a space walk, and fixing a satellite. This book is suitable for students in kindergarten to 2 nd grade. Title: Space hotel Author: Appleton, Victor Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks ISBN#: Description: When Tom arrives at the world s first space hotel, he experiences weightlessness, learns about the hotel s high-tech nature (including the robotic cleaning staff), and plays a game of zero gravity badminton. But as he explores the ship, he begins to notice some strange happenings. This book is suitable for students in 3 rd to 6 th grade. Title: Rocket racers Author: Appleton, Victor Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks ISBN: Description: Tom is teaming up with his pals Yo and Bud to test out his new Swift-Racer, a rocket-powered plane built for speed. He thinks the Swift- Racer is advanced enough to set a new record in the world of rocket racing. But could someone be sabotaging the competition? Tom's going to need more than rocket fuel to figure this one out. This book is suitable for students in 3 rd to 6 th grade. Reference Books Title: Rockets Author: Vogt, L. Gregory Publisher: Bridgestone Books ISBN: Description: This book describes different rocket types and how they work, including delta rockets, Saturn V, and the space shuttle. This book is suitable for children in kindergarten to 2 nd grade. Title: First space encyclopedia Author: Bingham, Caroline Publisher: DK Publishing ISBN#: Mad Science Rocket Science 7

8 Description: This book introduces the universe, visiting our solar system s planets and moons as well as our Sun and other stars, black holes, asteroids, comets, and other galaxies. It has information about the great Pluto debate and the recent discovery of an Earth-like planet as well as pictures from the latest voyages of shuttles, rovers, and probes. This book is suitable for students in 1 st to 3 rd grade. Title: Rocket-powered Science: invent to learn! create, build and test rocket designs Author: Sobey, J. Ed Publisher: Good Year Books ISBN: Description: Rocket science is as cool as science gets, and this book will help your students design, build, and test rockets themselves. These rocketbuilding activities challenge students to work in teams like real space engineers. There are more than 30 demonstrations and 16 models, all with clear guidelines and science standards to be met. This book is suitable for students in 4 th to 6 th grade Mad Science Rocket Science 8

9 VOCABULARY Astronaut: A person trained to pilot, navigate, or otherwise participate as a spacecraft crewmember. Drag: The backward force affecting flight that is caused by friction on the aircraft. Gravity: The downward force affecting flight. Lift: The upward force affecting flight. Rocket: A self-propelling craft that creates thrust by expelling compressed gases. Thrust: The forward force affecting flight Mad Science Rocket Science 9

10 ASSESSMENT QUIZ The next page contains a series of questions designed to help assess students understanding of the concepts in the workshop. It is in a pop quiz format to photocopy and give to children to complete after the workshop. Answer Key to Rocket Science Quiz: 1. A 2. B 3. C 4. A 5. C 2009 Mad Science Rocket Science 10

11 Rocket Science Quiz Circle the correct answer for each question. 1. What do the fins on a rocket do? a) make it more stable b) make it slower c) nothing 2. Outside our atmosphere, the force of Earth s gravity is: a) stronger b) weaker c) the same 3. Which is not an important part of a rocket? a) engine mount b) body tube c) UFO communicator 4. If the force of lift is greater than the force of gravity, will an aircraft achieve lift-off? a) yes b) no c) it is impossible to tell 5. Which is not one of the four forces affecting flight? a) gravity b) drag c) nuclear 2009 Mad Science Rocket Science

12 PAPER ACTIVITIES Letter Tiles Unscramble the sentence: Use trial-and-error to place the tiles into the spaces below. There is one example done for you. Clue: Where do astronauts keep their sandwiches? T H E Criss-Cross Words Place the words from the list in the grid. There is one example done for you. l i f t Word List rocket thrust lift gravity astronaut model fins Clues Across Down 4. Upward force 1. Person who works in space 6. Spacecraft 2. Small version of something big 7. Forward force 3. Keep rocket flight straight 5. Downward force 2009 Mad Science Rocket Science