MAKE YOUR OWN ROCKET MODEL
MAKE YOUR OWN ROCKET MODEL
Nikuja
Bihari Sahu
Introduction
A rocket is a vehicle that uses a jet propulsion mechanism to acceleration without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces Thrust by reaction to exhaust gases expelled at high speeds from its nozzles. Rocket engines work entirely from a propellant carried within the vehicle; therefore a rocket, unlike an airplane, can fly in the vacuum of space. Rockets, in addition to their fuel tanks, also have Oxidizer tanks to burn their fuels. Rockets work more efficiently in a vacuum and incur a loss of Thrust due to the opposing pressure of the atmosphere. Multistage rockets are capable of attaining the Escape Velocity from Earth and, therefore, can achieve unlimited maximum altitude. Compared with air-breathing engines, rockets are lightweight, powerful and capable of generating large accelerations.
Here, we will delve into four kinds of rockets in a graded understanding, such as:
1. Paper Cup rocket
2.
Balloon rocket
3.
Water rocket
4.
Gunpowder rocket
1. Paper Cup Rocket:
Theory:
The aim of this experiment is to create a simple Paper cup rocket and understand the basic principles of rocket propulsion mechanism through the application of elastic forces The rocket works based on the elastic property of rubber bands. When an external force is applied to an elastic material, it produces a deformation. When the external force is withdrawn, the body fully or partially regains its original shape. In regaining the original shape, the elastic force is released which can act on another body in physical contact.
Materials Required
1. Paper cups - 4 nos
2. Craft paper- 1 sheet
3. Fevicol glue- 1no
4. Scissors- 1no
5. Elastic rubber bands- 4nos
6. Wooden Toothpick Stick- 4 nos
Construction
Take a paper Cup to serve as your rocket. Prepare decorative elements for your rocket using coloured craft paper. Create wings and a crown shapes that will serve as its Nose cone and glue these appendices to the paper cup so that it looks like a real rocket. Make the Cup stronger by inserting another cup into the previous one. Make four holes (with the help of a pointed toothpick) near the brim of the cup on opposite sides) at 90 degrees angle apart. Insert two elastic rubber bands through the opposite pair of holes in crossed manner and lock them properly with the help of a small piece of wooden stick. Take another Cup to serve as the Base Cup from which the rocket will be launched.
Experiment
To launch the rocket, place the base cup on a table, and ,over it, place the Rocket cup provided with stretched rubber bands. Press the second cup over the first vertically downward so that the rubber band inside the second cup gets deformed. Now, release the second cup. You will find that the second cup is suddenly bounced up like a rocket!
As you release the second cup, the deformed rubber bands tend to regain their shapes due to elastic action. This applies a force on the lower cup and the reaction force of the lower cup (in accordance with Newton's Third Law of Motion) provides the necessary Thrust for the upper cup to move up like a rocket.
Have fun launching your rocket and exploring the science behind it!
Precautions
●
Be
cautious while handling the pointed toothpick.
●
Ensure
the elastic bands are securely tied to prevent accidents.
●
Perform
the experiment in an open area away from obstacles.
●
While
experimenting, care should be taken so as to avoid the bouncing cup hitting
your eyes.
●
Adult
supervision is recommended for younger children.
Theory
A Balloon rocket demonstrates the basic principles of Action and Reaction forces at work. When you inflate a balloon and release it, the air rushing out of the balloon creates a reaction force that propels the balloon forward like a rocket. This force is similar to how a real rocket works in space. The aim of this experiment is to create a simple balloon rocket and to explore the basic scientific principles such as Force, Newton’s Third Law of Motion, Thrust, and Pressure through the working of the rocket.
Materials Required
1.Balloon( Big size) - 1no
2. Drinking straw (with a wide opening)- 1 no
3. Adhesive Tape - 1 no
4. String (Cotton or Nylon) 20’ long- 1 piece
5. Scissors- 1no
Construction
Stretch a string from one end of the wall to the other end of the wall inside a room and tie the two ends to some hooks in the walls so that the string remains horizontal and stretched under tension. Before tying both ends of the string to the walls, make sure to slip a straw into the string. Now, take a balloon and inflate it harder. Holding the balloon just below the straw (mounted on the string), attach the balloon to the straw securely with the help of cello tape so that the balloon is able to move freely on the string along with the straw. Slide the Straw along with the balloon to one end of the string stretched across the room. The balloon will serve as our rocket. The balloon rocket can be decorated by providing it with a nose cone and fins made up of paper.
Experiment
Inflate the balloon by blowing air into it from your mouth. Keep its nozzle closed with your fingers so that air does not escape. Suddenly release the inflated balloon by allowing its nozzle to open. Observe the motion of the balloon on the string. We observe how the balloon rocket moves forward due to the gasses escaping from the balloon.
The air rushing out of the balloon creates a force in one direction (Action force), which results in an equal and opposite force propelling the rocket in a forward (Reaction force) direction. Thus, the balloon will be suddenly flung into action and move to the other end of the string. By making and experimenting with such a balloon rocket, we can understand the basic principles of rocketry related to Pressure, thrust, and Newton’s Third law of motion as they apply to this simple experiment.
Precautions
1. Ensure that the balloon is not overinflated so that it doesn’t burst.
2. Keep the string taut during the
experiment to allow the rocket to move freely.
3. Be cautious when releasing the balloon
to avoid hitting objects or people.
3. Water Rocket
Theory:
A Water rocket contains water at high pressure created by using a bicycle pump. The pressurized water is suddenly made to be released outside unplugging a hole in the water tank of the rocket. The reaction force of the ejected stream of water provides the necessary Thrust for the rocket to propel.
Materials Required:
1. Bicycle Pump- 1no
2.
Plastic Water Bottle (1 ltr capacity)- 1no
3.
Bicycle Valve Pin-1no
4.
Launching Pad-1no
5.
Plastic Sheets-1no
6.
Poker (for making hole)
Construction
Attach the bicycle Valve pin to the plastic cap of the bottle by making a hole at the centre of the cap with the help of a Poker and tightening the nut of the valve set in the manner that the device remains in place. The Valve Pin will allow air to be continuously pumped into the bottle from outside; but it won't allow air from inside to pass out. Fill the plastic bottle with water almost to half of its capacity. Prepare a launching pad with metallic rods and rings to hold the bottle in place. You can decorate your bottle into a rocket shape by providing it with a nose cone and fins made up of plastic sheets and gluing them to the bottle with the help of Feviquick adhesive. Now, our water rocket is ready for launch.
Experiment
Using the bicycle pump, pump in some air into the plastic bottle that will serve as our rocket. Mount the rocket on the metallic stand vertically so that its cap (fitted with the Valve Pin) remains pointed downward. Now, disconnect the bottle from the bicycle pump and unplug the cap of the bottle with your hands. The pressurized water from the bottle will suddenly gush out. The ejected stream of water will provide a propulsive force for the rocket and ,as a result, our bottle rocket will suddenly move up.
Caution
The bottle should not be pressurized wit air to its full capacity; otherwise it may burst.
4. Gunpowder Rocket
Gunpowder rockets, that use chemicals as fuel, are the most common type of high power rocket, typically creating a high-speed exhaust by the combustion of fuel with an oxidizer. The stored propellant can be a simple pressurized gas or a single liquid fuel that disassociates in the presence of a catalyst (monopropellant), two liquids that spontaneously react on contact (hypergolic propellants)), two liquids that must be ignited to react (like kerosene and liquid oxygen, used in most liquid-propellant rockets), a solid combination of fuel with oxidizer (solid fuel), or solid fuel with liquid or gaseous oxidizer (hybrid propellant system). The high-velocity exhaust gases produce the necessary Thrust for the rocket to undergo propulsion.
Our rocket model is a highly simplified version of an actual rocket and it consists of the following parts:
1. Body Tube
2.
Engine (with Fuel tank)
3.
Nose Cone
4.
Tail Fin
5.
Coupling Tube (for Launching Pad)
6.
Launching Pad
1. Body Tube:
The Body Tube comprises the bulk part of the rocket that houses the fuel tank, oxidizer tank and engine. It is normally cylindrical in shape and is provided with aerodynamic systems at the top and at the bottom to avoid air drag during lift-off and re-entry.
2. Engine :
A rocket engine uses stored rocket propellants as the reaction mass for forming a high-speed propulsive jet of fluid, usually high-temperature gas. Rocket engines are reaction engines, producing thrust by ejecting mass rearward, in accordance with Newton's Third Law. Most rocket engines use the combustion of reactive chemicals to supply the necessary energy. The rocket engine burns the fuel with the help of an Oxidiser to produce voluminous amount of smokes. The burnt-out gases are then compressed in a Compressor unit to a very high pressure. The compressed air is then ejected out through nozzles to attain very high velocity. The reaction force of the ejected gases provides the necessary Thrust for the rocket to move ahead. In our model, the engine carries the Fuel tank.
The Fuel tank contains the fuel that the rocket will burn to produce smoke to be ejected out. The fuel may be in solid or liquid form. In our model, we will use gunpowder based solid fuel which is a mixture of three chemicals such as Potassium Nitrate, Sulphur, and Charcoal. The standard composition of gunpowder is 75% Potassium nitrate (Saltpeter), 15% softwood Charcoal, and 10% Sulfur by weight. (This ratio was established in England in the mid-18th century.)
Three Tail fins are provided at the lower end of the rocket at 120 degrees angle apart to provide stability during its flight in the atmosphere.
5. Coupling Pipe
The rocket is loosely fastened to the Launch Pad with the help of a Coupling tube so that when the rocket engine is ignited, it is able to move up easily without any hindrance.
6. Launching Pad
A Launching Pad is a platform that holds the rocket in place vertically in the pre-launch position and allows the initial Thrust to be imparted to the rocket in the desired direction so that the rocket is smoothly thrown into its flight trajectory.
Materials Required:
1. Cardboard sheet- 1no
2.
Fevicol glue-1no
3.
Gunpowder engine (derived from Deepavali skyrocket0- 1no
4.
Drinking Straw-1no
5.
Cello tape- 1no
6.
Wooden/Metallic Launch Pad- 1no
7.
Match Box- 1no
Construction
All the rocket parts including the body, nose cone, and fins are made with cardboard sheets. First, the body tube is prepared by rolling a cardboard sheet using the cylindrical gunpowder cap as the frame. Cello tape is used to maintain the shape of the body tube. Then, prepare the Nose Cone by rolling a circular piece of paper into a conical shape and gluing the layers with fevicol. Prepare three triangular-shaped Tail fins from a cardboard sheet and attach these to the lower portion of the body tube at 1200 angular intervals. A Gunpowder engine is inserted into the body tube so that it is held into place tightly. A Straw is attached to the body on its side with the help of cello tape to serve as the Coupling tube for clinging the rocket onto the Launching pad. Now, our rocket is ready for launch. The Launching Pad consists of a plywood square-shaped base provided with a stiff Iron rod fixed at its centre in a vertical manner.
Experiment (Launching )
Mount the rocket in the Launching Pad in a stable manner by slipping its Coupling tube (Straw) into the vertical iron rod of the Launch Pad. Choose an open place for ignition and firing. Ignite the fuse of the rocket using a match stick. The gunpowder engine will burn ejecting copious volumes of burnt-out gases in the form of smokes. The reaction force of the ejected gases provides the necessary propulsive force for the rocket to lift off. Thus, the rocket will have a lift off with immense force and climbs higher and higher into the atmosphere. It will follow a parabolic trajectory, reaching a maximum height and then falling down on the ground. The entire motion of the rocket is governed by the force of gravity.
Caution
Ignition and firing of rockets should be done under the supervision of adults.
Nikunja
Bihari Sahu
Education
Officer
Regional
Science Centre
Shymala
Hills
Bhopal
To read the same article published in The Science Horizon , August 2024 issue , please click the following link: : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MBgJU7x3zkJ3zWvV9Gq0naLJyXHKc5Jb/view?usp=sharing
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