Help me find experimental errors in my bottle rocket experiment, Hurry please?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying potential experimental errors in a bottle rocket experiment, where a bottle is filled with water and pressurized to launch into the air. Participants are exploring factors that could influence the results of the experiment.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the definition of "experimental errors" and whether it pertains to unconsidered factors or uncertainties in measurements. They inquire about the specific measurements taken and the methods used to display results, such as plotting graphs.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing feedback on the measurements and suggesting that some factors, such as the mass of water and air pressure, are critical to consider. There is a recognition of the complexity of rocket propulsion and the impact of external factors like air resistance.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the lack of detail regarding the measuring techniques used, which complicates the ability to provide specific guidance on estimating errors. There is also an acknowledgment of the need for rough estimates despite potential inaccuracies in the measurements.

lockieleonard
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Could you please help me find experimental error in bottle rocket experiment that could have affected my results. The experiment is where a bottle gets filled with water, a third of their volume and then they get pressurized to fly in the air.

So could you please find me experimental errors for this experiment?
Hurry please I need them as soon as possible!

Thanx in advance!
 
Last edited:
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What do you mean by experimental errors? Do you mean factors that could affect the flight that you haven't considered, or do you mean uncertainties in your measured and derived quantities?
 
What were you actually measuring.I am guessing the volume of water used,the number of pumping actions and the height reached.How did you display your results..did you plot a graph?
 
I mean factors that have affected my results!
 
lockieleonard said:
I mean factors that have affected my results!

What results? what measurements did you take?
 
I obtained the result when I measured the angle between the launching starting point and the apex of the trajectory of the bottle rocket. I was 30 metres away of the starting point whenmy friend started pumping to measure this angle.
 
I don't think you can get anything meaningful out of those measurements. You estimated the height of the apex as well as its horizontal distance from the origin, so those are out.

And you neglected the important things (Mass of water, pressure of air inside) not to mention those that are out of the scope of your analysis (Air resistance, turbulence, I suppose the rocket propulsion is fairly complicated as well, especially since it deals with pressure as well)
 
lockieleonard said:
I obtained the result when I measured the angle between the launching starting point and the apex of the trajectory of the bottle rocket. I was 30 metres away of the starting point whenmy friend started pumping to measure this angle.

If I understand this correctly your friend measured the angle.Knowing the method used you should be able to make a reasoned estimate of the uncertainty in his/her measurement e.g for one measurement the angle was 30 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees( or whatever it happened to be).It is best to express errrors as a percentage rounded down to the appropriate number of significant figures.
You measured the apex in other words the height reached?Wow how did you do that?I guess that whatever your method the experimental error was huge but you can at least do a reasoned but rough estimate.
It is so difficult to give advice here without the details of the measuring techniques you used but good luck with it,it sounds like a fun experiment.
 
RoyalCat said:
I don't think you can get anything meaningful out of those measurements. You estimated the height of the apex as well as its horizontal distance from the origin, so those are out.

And you neglected the important things (Mass of water, pressure of air inside) not to mention those that are out of the scope of your analysis (Air resistance, turbulence, I suppose the rocket propulsion is fairly complicated as well, especially since it deals with pressure as well)

I agree but he probably has to make some sort of estimates no matter how crude.
 
  • #10
Dadface said:
I agree but he probably has to make some sort of estimates no matter how crude.

Yes, I did get the feeling I was a bit too harsh with my criticism, I apologize.

As far as possible estimates go, the question is what he was trying to measure...
 

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