Rockets!
The liftoff of an Atlas V rocket.Copyright 2011 Pat Corkery, United Launch Alliance, NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/launch/
Students are introduced to statics and dynamics, free-body diagrams, combustion and thermodynamics to gain an understanding of the forces needed to lift rockets off the ground. They learn that thrust force is needed to launch rockets into space and the energy for thrust is stored as chemical energy in the rocket's fuel. Then, using the law of conservation of energy, students learn that the chemical energy of the fuel is converted into work and heat energy during a rocket launch. A short PowerPoint® presentation is provided, including two example problems for stoichiometry review. An optional teacher demonstration is described as an extension activity.
Rockets are an engineering marvel. Mechanical and aerospace engineers develop the shape and design of the rocket, chemical engineers design the fuel, and materials engineers develop lightweight, thermally durable materials for trips into outer space. This lesson serves as preparation to conduct the associated activity during which students use their knowledge of stoichiometry to create the fuel for a small rocket engine as well as their critical thinking skills to design a rocket that can be successfully launched.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Draw a free-body diagram.
- Apply Newton's second law of motion.
- Describe the effect of forces on motion.
- Identify the components needed for a combustion reaction.
- Explain the law of conservation of energy.