Kid's science project

This forum is for new members to introduce themselves and tell us how they got started in water rocketry.
kc5ifk
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Kid's science project

Post by kc5ifk »

As a kid, I remember the cheap toy water rockets, but my most recent introduction was when my 7yo daughter saw a 2-liter water rocket at the Conner Prairie Festival of Machines (in Fishers, Indiana) earlier this year. She announced that she wanted to build water rockets for her science project this year.

Well, today was our science fair (for a homeschool group) and we had a great time. To prepare, we built a 1-liter and another 2-liter rocket (cut off top of one bottle and taped to bottom of the rocket bottle for nosecone, hot-glued foam board fins). The plan (as we had seen) was to hook up a bicycle pump to provide pressure. Well, the pump we bought wouldn't attach to the inflation needle I had... so I figured I would try the small air compressor I have in my shop. I rigged a thumb trigger in the middle of hoses through a cork to connect to the business end of the rocket.

We then tested with 1, 2, & 3 cups of water as well as no water. Our first test flight was at night just to see if it would work... and we couldn't even see the rocket it went so high. And it took so long to hear it come down that I was beginning to wonder what had gone wrong. It landed on the other side of our house a few seconds later.

Today, for the science fair, we did a few demonstration shots and then let kids launch it themselves. Then, I decided to experiment a bit more and switched the cork out for a rubber stopper. It easily doubled or tripled the altitude! So afterwards, there were a group of dads standing around discussing the physics of water rockets and what we might have to do to break a record. :)

Anyway, hello to all - just stumbled across this group on my first search of the evening and am looking forward to learning from what everyone else has done. Who knew there were different classes of water rocket records!
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anoymous
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Re: Kid's science project

Post by anoymous »

:W to the forum!
I'm sure you will have a fantastic time here!
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
- Albert Einstein

Sorry for malconstructions in my sentences, I am Belgian. And I was never good at making easy sentences.
addstogether
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Re: Kid's science project

Post by addstogether »

Welcome to the forum

There are plenty people here willing to help, Access to simulators http://cjh.polyplex.org/rockets/simulation/ and the like.

Just ask

Al
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China_WaterRocket
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Re: Kid's science project

Post by China_WaterRocket »

Welcome
I come from China, do not understand English, your information I use the translation software to view. I like water rockets, technology is the same, I hope we can become friends.