Physics
Newton’s Laws and My Rocket
Newton’s Three Laws of Motion
I. Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.
II. The relationship between an object's mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied force F is F = ma. Acceleration and force are vectors (as indicated by their symbols being displayed in slant bold font); in this law the direction of the force vector is the same as the direction of the acceleration vector.
III. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Step 1: At Rest on the Launch Pad
This story begins with a rocket stationed at a launch pad waiting to be sent into the air. This rocket is made out of paper, glue, balsa wood, a ribbon, tape, spray paint, a plastic nose cone, a rubber band, and a rocket engine. While stationed at the launch pad it is affected by gravity but does not move due to the supporting force of the field of grass pushing with equal and opposite force against the effect of gravity. This rocket is in a state of uniform motion and it will remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. It is held in place by the pad underneath as well as the metal cylinder holding the rocket up so it will stay straight when launched and sent into the air. This leads to the next portion of the flight of the model rocket.
Step 2: The Launch/Powered Ascent
The rocket’s engine is ignited at the rear of the model rocket. the ejection of chemicals as well as the force of the chemicals being burned sends the rocket upwards toward the sky. The force of the gases burning is much more than the mass of the rocket itself as well as the effect of gravity which is still acting on the rocket. With the rocket engine send out force, the equal and opposite reaction is the rocket ascending towards the sky. The rocket engine slides into the rocket instead of being held in place by the friction of the tape connecting it to the rocket. It is sent up above the pad as it tilts off to the side and not going directly straight up. The balsa wood wings have and effect of keeping the rocket aligned but it seems it favors one side more than another.
Step 3: Coasting Flight
The rocket engine dies down and stops leaving the rocket to fly upwards as the wind affects the horizontal trajectory of the rocket. There is no more force being exerted by this rocket engine. Gravity is affecting the rocket as the velocity slows down until vertically the velocity is zero. The rocket would have stayed in a uniform motion with the velocity remaining the same after the rocket engine had ceased but the effect of gravity has changed this rocket in that gravity is an external force that is pulling the rocket towards the ground and changing the rocket’s state of motion. The acceleration speed of gravity, which is 9.8 m/s^2 or 38 ft/s^2, reduces the speed of which the rocket is being propelled upwards by it’s momentum. Also, considering it is made out of paper the rocket will not descend at that exact rate due to its surface area vs its mass.
Step 4: Ejection Charge
Once the rocket reaches it final height and begins to descend due to the pull of gravity, an ejection charge goes off in the rocket engine that forces the plastic nose cone out of the rocket while the rocket is propelled with the equal and opposite force and a piece of ribbon flies out. The combination of the rocket insides being exposed as well as the ribbon slows the rocket as it descends from the air friction and added surface area exposed to the air in a more open manner.
Step 5: Slow Decent
Due to the increased surface area as well as the low mass of the paper model rocket, the effect of the friction in the air, on the ribbon and the rocket, the rocket has a slower descent. The effect of gravity that is still and always will be while on earth has an effect on objects as such. Since the rocket is not that heavy, it will not be easily damaged when landing on the ground. It is in a constant state of motion in it’s descent besides horizontal differences in wind which pushes the rocket off and away or towards relative to the launch pad.
Step 6: Recovery
The Rocket lands safely and unharmed on the ground but is burnt at the bottom due to the rocket engine not being fit in as tight as it should have as well as the tape sliding easily inside of the rocket. A way to improve on this would be to find a way to increase the friction between these two surfaces and well as put more tape on one side than the other so it will not slide into the rocket and cause the bottom to catch on fire and melt. The rocket still being affected by gravity goes from at rest in the air as it descends to hitting the ground and then being at rest against the grass again with the equal and opposite force of gravity.
Newton’s Three Laws of Motion
I. Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.
II. The relationship between an object's mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied force F is F = ma. Acceleration and force are vectors (as indicated by their symbols being displayed in slant bold font); in this law the direction of the force vector is the same as the direction of the acceleration vector.
III. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Step 1: At Rest on the Launch Pad
This story begins with a rocket stationed at a launch pad waiting to be sent into the air. This rocket is made out of paper, glue, balsa wood, a ribbon, tape, spray paint, a plastic nose cone, a rubber band, and a rocket engine. While stationed at the launch pad it is affected by gravity but does not move due to the supporting force of the field of grass pushing with equal and opposite force against the effect of gravity. This rocket is in a state of uniform motion and it will remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. It is held in place by the pad underneath as well as the metal cylinder holding the rocket up so it will stay straight when launched and sent into the air. This leads to the next portion of the flight of the model rocket.
Step 2: The Launch/Powered Ascent
The rocket’s engine is ignited at the rear of the model rocket. the ejection of chemicals as well as the force of the chemicals being burned sends the rocket upwards toward the sky. The force of the gases burning is much more than the mass of the rocket itself as well as the effect of gravity which is still acting on the rocket. With the rocket engine send out force, the equal and opposite reaction is the rocket ascending towards the sky. The rocket engine slides into the rocket instead of being held in place by the friction of the tape connecting it to the rocket. It is sent up above the pad as it tilts off to the side and not going directly straight up. The balsa wood wings have and effect of keeping the rocket aligned but it seems it favors one side more than another.
Step 3: Coasting Flight
The rocket engine dies down and stops leaving the rocket to fly upwards as the wind affects the horizontal trajectory of the rocket. There is no more force being exerted by this rocket engine. Gravity is affecting the rocket as the velocity slows down until vertically the velocity is zero. The rocket would have stayed in a uniform motion with the velocity remaining the same after the rocket engine had ceased but the effect of gravity has changed this rocket in that gravity is an external force that is pulling the rocket towards the ground and changing the rocket’s state of motion. The acceleration speed of gravity, which is 9.8 m/s^2 or 38 ft/s^2, reduces the speed of which the rocket is being propelled upwards by it’s momentum. Also, considering it is made out of paper the rocket will not descend at that exact rate due to its surface area vs its mass.
Step 4: Ejection Charge
Once the rocket reaches it final height and begins to descend due to the pull of gravity, an ejection charge goes off in the rocket engine that forces the plastic nose cone out of the rocket while the rocket is propelled with the equal and opposite force and a piece of ribbon flies out. The combination of the rocket insides being exposed as well as the ribbon slows the rocket as it descends from the air friction and added surface area exposed to the air in a more open manner.
Step 5: Slow Decent
Due to the increased surface area as well as the low mass of the paper model rocket, the effect of the friction in the air, on the ribbon and the rocket, the rocket has a slower descent. The effect of gravity that is still and always will be while on earth has an effect on objects as such. Since the rocket is not that heavy, it will not be easily damaged when landing on the ground. It is in a constant state of motion in it’s descent besides horizontal differences in wind which pushes the rocket off and away or towards relative to the launch pad.
Step 6: Recovery
The Rocket lands safely and unharmed on the ground but is burnt at the bottom due to the rocket engine not being fit in as tight as it should have as well as the tape sliding easily inside of the rocket. A way to improve on this would be to find a way to increase the friction between these two surfaces and well as put more tape on one side than the other so it will not slide into the rocket and cause the bottom to catch on fire and melt. The rocket still being affected by gravity goes from at rest in the air as it descends to hitting the ground and then being at rest against the grass again with the equal and opposite force of gravity.