High school project to propel a toy rocket as high as possible

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around strategies for designing a miniature rocket for a high school competition, focusing on methods to achieve maximum altitude. Participants explore various propulsion techniques, including chemical reactions and mechanical systems, while considering practical aspects of construction and cost.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests using a two-liter bottle with Mentos for propulsion, emphasizing the importance of aerodynamics and weight distribution for stability.
  • Another proposes filling the bottle with water and using a valve tube to create pressure, questioning how to determine the optimal amount of air pressure.
  • A later reply mentions the potential effectiveness of using liquid nitrogen or helium in a sealed container for a more powerful launch.
  • One participant speculates that a bungee cord slingshot might achieve higher altitudes than the Mentos method and suggests experimenting with various chemical mixtures, while cautioning about safety.
  • There is a discussion about the cost-effectiveness of the Mentos solution, with one participant humorously noting the mess it could create.
  • Another participant expresses uncertainty about the Mentos method and its cost, indicating a lack of familiarity with it.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing views on propulsion methods, with no consensus on the best approach. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the optimal design and materials for the rocket.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about determining optimal air pressure in the valve tube and the effectiveness of different propulsion methods. There are also concerns about the practicality and safety of suggested chemical reactions.

Who May Find This Useful

Students and educators interested in experimental physics, engineering design, and creative problem-solving in competitive settings may find this discussion relevant.

Ian_Brooks
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My sister has a high school competition to make a miniature rocket that shoots up - where the highest reaching rocket wins.

The best Idea I can think of is using
* a two liter pepsi/coke bottle and have a system to drop a whole roll of mentos into it
* hopefully without tearing the container apart it should shoot up
* we can streamline the edges for descent aerodynamics and perhaps have a central weight on the bottom such that it will perhaps maintain a straight line path after the contents is emptied out.

any help / ideas

*apologies if this is in the wrong section*
 
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Fill up the bottle with water upto two third of its volume. Fix a valve tube, which is used in the cycle. Close the valve tube and fill the air with a hand pump as much as possible. Hold the bottle so that its mouth is in the downward direction. Now open the valve. And see what happens.
 
rl.bhat,

How does one determine what "as much as possible" is?
 
It works better with liquid nitrogen or liquid helium in a sealed metal cylinder with a high pressure valve that will open just before the cylinder would explode. :smile:
 
I suspect that you could launch a small rocket higher with a bungee cord slingshot than you could with Mentos.
Try experimenting with various ratios of aluminum powder, butyl rubber, and potassium nitrate... VERY CAREFULLY.
If you want to go with a flameless system, vinegar and baking soda work pretty well.
 
How does one determine what "as much as possible" is?
How does one know when the air is full in the cycle tube? Usually when you find it hard to push the air in bottle you stop.
 
wouldn't the mentos solution be cheaper to implement? the only problem is that all the other students will be drenched in pepsi. :P
 
You can fill up the bottle with water which does not cost much. I don't know what is mentos solution.
 

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