Antacid Rocket

Materials:

• 35mm film canister (clear plastic is best)
• paper
• tape
• scissors
• pencil/drawing supplies
• ruler
• antacid tablets
• water

Procedures:

1. Cut a rectangular strip of paper, roll it around the film canister (with lid off and open end of canister facing down), tape the paper tightly together, and tape the canister to the paper rocket body.
2. Make a nose cone for the rocket by cutting a small paper circle, folding it into a cone, and attaching the cone to the top of the paper opposite the film canister.
3. Make triangle fins for the base of the rocket (3-6 preferably).
4. Ensure you can still snap the lid onto the canister, and then make sure the rocket will stand up on its end with the canister lid in place.
5. Take the canister lid off, hold the rocket upside down, and put water into the canister (experiment with different amounts).
6. Drop the antacid tablet into the water in the canister, quickly snap on the lid, turn the rocket right-side up and set it down, and then stand back!!!
7. Watch the rocket blast off!!!
8. Discuss with the class why (why not) the rocket blasted off, Newton's Third Law (action-reaction principle=for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction) and have them experiment with the variables listed below to see how they each affect the rocket's flight.

Does the amount of water affect the performance of the rocket?
Would a crushed antacid tablet work? Better or worse?
Does one antacid brand work better than another?
Does the number of antacid tablets affect the flight of the rocket?
What would happen if I placed the fins on the front end of the cylinder?
Does the number or size of the fins affect how the rocket flies?
If I bend the lower tips of the fins in pinwheel fashion, will the rocket spin when it takes off?

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