Progress Day #7

I have officially completed my grade 11 Physics ISU. All the final information, results, rough paper will be attached when handed in.

Progress Day #6

I am nearing my way through my ISU experiment. I finished my test days and now proceeding to the unfinished work that I still have to do. I have until Tuesday to finish my ISU and I think I have plenty of time to finish it, considering I have my other sections finished and ready to go. Now, to go into more detail of how I have been working:

Introduction - I have explained the components where it says why did you choose to do this research, what related research has been performed in the past, the purpose, and the hypothesis. I felt like I have explained an ample amount of information in the introduction section because I feel this is a section where it is important to know if someone else would be reading it.

Materials - This section is straight forward, describing the materials and apparatus I have used such as cardboard, tape, pump, timer, etc. I have included diagrams representing representing my experiment and explaining the science behind the bottle rocket and what it does when it is released at launch.

Procedure - I'm confident that I have described my experimental procedure using precise detail. I also feel my instructions are clear enough for another scientist to reproduce my experiment. I'm thinking of having a procedure step by step and/or having a column procedure displaying the step, diagram (visual), and a short description of each step.

Results - I am nearly done this section, just little bit more to do which I have to make my proportionality statements. I have completed my graphs (numbers as well), and I have data tables that record my data when I went experimenting my bottle rocket. As stated on the rubric sheet, my interpretation of my results should be included in the conclusion section. My results also include psi units, years measurements, and will be pouring water cup by cup.

Conclusion - I am currently working on my conclusion and interpreting and summarizing my results and findings. Next, I will describe how the results from my bottle rocket were important and useful. Lastly, I will explain in my report the next things that further explore the phenomenon.

References - I have completed this section listing all my references I have used for my experiment and I have checked the course website for the PDF with the instructions for writing proper references.

Still to do:

• Finish proportionality statements
• Draw diagrams and description
• Work on conclusion
• Read over
• Title page
• Any rough work

Progress Day #5

We just finished our last test day for the bottle rocket. I wanted to explain what I did right after so I remember exactly everything. To start things off, I have a video to illustrate how the experiment went that I found on YouTube (smilier to mine):

This video shows how the expectations were compared to my experiment when I was at the park.

My second day was good and finished all the touch-ups I had to do that I didn't end up doing yesterday. I'm confident an have about 70% done my ISU work including a clear introduction, materials/apparatus I used, procedure, and now working on the results and conducting graphs. This section involves the most thinking and theory about how to use the graphs and what measurements to use for this experiment. I'm pretty much done my experiment ISU. I have conducted my numbers, charts, diagrams, etc. I have a few more days where I can work on it and double check and review my work before I hand it in. Basically, what I can still work on is thinking what I can do more to push it to the next step and finish up my leftover work, which is the conclusion and references. I have used a few references for my experiment that I will list in my final copy. When everything is done, I will write up my final results and data in the conclusion section as stated in the rubric.

Progress Day #4

As my progression goes on, today was a testing day for my rocket. Day 1 out of 2 were complete. With the help from my dad, we went to a football field with yard measurements to give it a few test tries before we actually get the results from the experiment. I wanted to make sure everything was proper and ready to go. I took a picture when it launched and it looks like this:

This picture was taken as soon as the rocket had launched. It was hard to take and I thought that this picture looked really good. I remember as a class, we made bottle rockets and added material to make the bottle and nose cone strong and sturdy so it wouldn't collapse easily or fly a short distance. it was fun and a good experience to see how the rockets did with little time to prepare them. I tried to keep a 45 degree angle launch zone and it was pretty accurate. The first table that I set up had multiple trials (5). I started it from 0 ml of water to see how far it would go. I increased the ml of water by 200 ml each time and stopped at 800 ml of water. I also massed the rocket each time as well. My final results will be displayed on the good copy. As we tried the rocket each time, I also measure the distance it travelled and made my first graph. With one graph being ml of water on the x-axis, and height (m) on the y-axis, the other graph I could make involves distance (m) and time (s). As I stated before in my previous blogs, I can calculate the velocity by taking the distance and time the rocket has travelled. I am also thinking of making another graph which includes the calculated speed of a standard rocket as a function of time.

This diagram shows a simple understanding of how the rocket looks like with the labelled parts and clearly represents each part of the rocket.

From the information I have obtained so far (still collecting more data), I can use this and the derived kinematic equations we learned in the acceleration unit (CAPM - Constant Acceleration Particle Model) to figure out the unknown of either distance, acceleration, velocity 1, velocity 2. Tomorrow, will be the second test day, and I will test anything I have missed (yet to do) or wanting to do over again. In terms of my ISU, I am more than halfway finishing. I've been working on my other sections too. I have finished my introduction, materials, and closely done my procedure. The experiment was great and enjoying as well. The bottle rocket isn't only about how high it goes or how awesome and cool it is, but it's the physics that's behind the scenes of this experiment.

Progress Day #3

Today, the things that I already have are a complete bottle rocket, proportionality statements that I can describe, one graph that measures ml of water, distance (m), height (m). I also have included a sequence of steps and obviously include numbers that come from my results. I have thought of conducted more graphs today that include finding the distance, speed, and the velocity to illustrate my graph. My third day was a theory based day because everything was set to do. My rocket will hopefully be set so that I can test it tomorrow and find the results from there. Since one of my graph includes distance and time, I can find the velocity by distance divided by time. I can also use the 5 derived equations to find the unknown from my experiment.

With this information, I can find the force by multiplying mass by acceleration, which states in Newton's second law. This law explains how an object will change velocity if it is acted on by a force. Velocity is directly proportional to the force applied. If twice as much force is applied to an object is will travel twice as far. Also velocity is inversely proportional to mass. This means that the more an object weighs the more force is necessary to accelerate the object. Using the water rocket as an example the force needed to move the rocket off the launch pad is generated by pumping air into the rocket. The more air packed into the rocket the higher it will fly. Remember that the heavier an object is the more force required to generate velocity. The more water that is added to the rocket the heavier it is, and the more force that is needed to propel it forward.

Newton's third law also comes into play because for every action (force) there is an equal and opposite reaction (force). This statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The magnitude of the force acting on the first object equals the magnitude of the force on the second object. The direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object. When our rocket leaves the launch pad all of the air (force) that was pushed into the rocket hurls out of the nozzle - this force propels our rocket upward.

  
Newton's laws will all be helpful in this experiment because that's what it's all about. Tomorrow is the day where I launch my rocket with my results ready to collect. All I need is the data to plot my graph and to have proportionality statements matching my graph data. Everything else is not theory based like this section conducting a couple of graphs. Also, my goal for tomorrow is to achieve the maximum height possible.

Progress Day #2

So today, I have gathered all my materials to conduct the experiment. All materials such as the bottle, pump, tape, cardboard, etc. Since my dad works at a construction site, I was able to get a special kind of pump that they use for his work. I've been thinking and thinking of ideas on what to do. But first, I must assemble the whole bottle rocket using the materials that I have. I am trying to make my bottle rocket very sturdy, making it go high by attaching various materials. I am trying to make the nose cone well that will make my experiment go high. This is a close example of how my bottle rocket looks like:

After making my rocket, I will think of what to include in my results section and trying to include graphs, numbers, charts, proportionality statements, diagrams, etc. I am thinking of conducting a few graphs and including various diagrams to outline the experiment clearly and to give an understanding towards other people if they were to look at my experiment.

One of my graphs I will have water (ml) on the x-axis and altitude (m) on the y-axis and increase the water by 50 ml which has to do with Newton's laws because it is understandable that if the rocket with large amounts of water do not fly as high as those containing less water according to Newton's second and third law and I could also time how long it takes for each interval of water increasing by 50 ml. Also, by finding these results, I can also include the speed of the rocket my dividing the distance travelled(m) over time (s) giving me  the velocity of the rocket. 

Another graph that I could also include that I found online which I will include in my references section is the calculated speed of a standard rocket as a function of time. Another component I can also add are diagrams with description and a standard time which adequately explains the physics behind the bottle rocket and understanding the general terms of the launch. 

Today has been a good day because I've accomplished a fair amount of work for my experiment. Even though this is my second day of progress, I think I have shown considerable work and spending quality time trying to figure out the different properties I could use for the bottle rocket experiment. After assembling my rocket with help, I have yet thought to release the rocket and I am thinking of doing that 2-3 days from today because I need to be 100% sure and safe that it will work (there are always safety precautions for this kind of experiment). I think I feel confident in all the sections and I need to work on the results more. I also feel good that I have started to formulate good ideas about graphs because I already have at least 2 in mind, and I can also include charts (which include numbers). Everyday I know I am making progress towards my experiment and I continue to do so. My third day consists of creating more ideas and making more advanced results because I will test my rocket more than once. (If I test it a few times in a day and does not work, I will try again the same or next day fixing what I made wrong).

Progress Day #1

So today, I have started to finish my ISU. I thought of conducting an experiment. Since I am starting today, I already had in mind some ideas I could use for my experiment that also involves creativity. I went online and looked at topics such as doing a bottle rocket, making a roller coaster similar in class that we did on the principle of energy conservation, or measuring your reaction time. Gravity is pulling down on the yardstick at a constant rate. The longer it falls, the faster it goes. By measuring how far the yardstick falls, we can calculate the speed at which it is moving and the time it took you to catch it.

I have chosen the bottle rocket experiment because it looks like an interesting procedure to set up and test it on large surfaces. In order to do this, I've been thinking and getting ideas from other people to help me conduct this experiment properly that makes sense. After a while, I have thought of creating a water rocket and the materials that I need to make that are:

• A two-litre fizzy (OR WATER) drinks bottle: this will form the main body of the rocket.
  
• A tennis ball, or rubber ball weighing about 60 g. This will form the main part of the nose.
  
• Some corrugated cardboard, or better still, corrugated plastic. This will be used to make the fins.
  
• ‘Duct’ tape or equivalent strong, sticky tape.
  
• Scissors or a knife.
  

Time: Between 30 and 40 minutes

- Pump

- Launch

- Possibly a ramp

- Rubber bung

- Modelling clay

For the nose cone, which is one of the most important part of the experiment it should have:

o Tag board builds a firm secure nose coneo The nose cone should have a higher mass to surface area ratio

o Modelling clay can be used to allow students to add mass to the nose cone.

o The nose cone must go through the air easier than the body of the rocket.

o If students choose to add a parachute, the nose cone needs to be able to separate from the rocket body 

o After applying the nose cone and fins, a string should be tied around the middle of the rocket to see if the rocket hangs evenly. If it doesn’t, then it has too much weight on one end or the other and should be balanced. You can also fly it overhead on the string to see if it is balanced in flight. 

This experiment will describe Newton's third law. As the bottle pushes some of its water downward, the water responds by pushing upward on the bottle, propelling the water to go upward. All a rocket needs is fuel and energy. Pushing the fuel backwards is what propels the rocket forward action and reaction. 

This is my theory of the experiment so far. I still have to gather all the materials and get to work.