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WORKING
ROCKET
Rules before you begin: A must is
adult supervision to help you with this
project, eye protection, and a large open
space outside of the house as this rocket
is guaranteed to make a mess!
Things you need:
Adult supervision
Scissors
Eye protection
Paper towels, to clean up the mess
35mm plastic film canister with clip on
lid
Notepad paper or an A4 sheet of paper .
Sticky tape.
Rocket fuel: This can be either 1/2 teaspoon
of Bicarbonate of Soda & a little Vinegar,
or 1/2 a Fizzing Antacid Tablet & some
Water
The first task is to make your plastic film
canister look like a rocket. Use the
template on the right to make your rocket’s
body, nose cone, tail fins, etc. Remember
the film canister needs to be upside down
and standing on the ground. The lighter
your rocket the higher it will go, notepad
paper is lighter providing less drag to
your rocket on take off. Once your
rocket is built prepare it for launch outside.
Various methods can be used to power this
type of rocket. The more popular ones
use either Bicarbonate of Soda & Vinegar,
or Fizzing Antacid Tablet & Water.
Either method is fine, just don’t mess about
with the formulas, and don’t forget a little
bit goes a long way!
Your
choice of Rocket Fuel
Rocket Fuel 1:
Bicarbonate of Soda & Vinegar
You need to keep the two items from mixing
until you are ready for launch. To do this,
Wrap ½ teaspoon of bicarb in a small piece
of tissue paper to make a parcel small enough
to fit the inside of the film canister lid.
Loop some sticky tape on itself and fix
your bicarb parcel to the lid. ¼ fill
the canister with vinegar. Replace
the lid turn your rocket upright to mix
the two and stand back for launch.
The vinegar will dissolve the tissue paper
and react with the Bicarbonate of Soda generating
lots & lots of carbon dioxide gas and
with nowhere to go the gas will force the
canister lid to POP and launch your rocket
skywards!
Rocket
Fuel 2: Fizzing
Antacid Tablet & Water
You need to keep the two items from mixing
until you are ready for launch. To do this,
take ½ an Antacid tablet, use some plasticine
or loop some sticky tape on itself and fix
the ½ tablet to the inside of the film canister
lid. Now add one-teaspoon of water
to the canister, replace the lid, turn your
rocket upright to mix the two and stand
back for launch. The water reacts
with the fizzing antacid tablet generating
lots & lots of carbon dioxide gas and
with nowhere to go the gas will force the
canister lid to POP and launch your rocket
skywards!
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