Live From Mars was active July 1996-December 1997.
Name__________________________
| Date__________________ |
Activity 1.1.B - STUDENT WORKSHEET
- Following teacher direction, attach a fishing line to the ceiling
(long
enough to reach the floor.)
- Thread a straw through the fishing line. You will be attaching a
balloon
to the straw, nozzle end toward the floor.
- Predict the amount of fuel needed (the number of consistent pumps of
air)
to lift a balloon from a hand-held position on the floor, up to the
ceiling.
Prediction: _______________
- Complete several trials to determine the MINIMUM pumps of air
necessary
to lift the rocket balloon to ceiling.
- You will be attaching a payload, such as a spacecraft, to the top of
the
rocket. Predict the number of pumps of air to lift this new Mass to the
same
height. [The payload will be a Dixie cup taped upside down over the
rounded
end of the balloon, holding a predetermined number of paper clips.]
Prediction: ________________
- Conduct several trials to determine the amount of fuel necessary to
lift
this load. Record data for each trial and post the results of each of
your
trials on the class data table on the board.
All teams must come to CONSENSUS and agree to keep the number of
pumps a controlled variable in each team's investigation.
Experiment 1 | (payload= 1 Dixie
cup) | |
| Energy (# of pumps) |
Distance Traveled (m) |
TRIAL 1 | ________________ | ________________ |
TRIAL 2 | ________________ |
________________ |
TRIAL
3 | ________________ | ________________ |
Average: | ________________ | ________________ |
TRIAL 4 | ________________ |
________________ |
CONSENSUS | FOR ENERGY ALLOWABLE: | __________
pumps |
- Continue your investigation, adding additional weight. Experiment
with the design changes to the rocket that might increase the rocket's
lifting ability. For each trial keep a record of distance traveled,
payload, and design.
- Be prepared to share the design elements that made your launch
successful and ideas you think could be used to create an even more
successful heavy-lift launcher.
Observations: | | | |
| Payload | Distance | Rocket
Design |
Trial 1 | _______ | _______ | ________________________
|
| | | ________________________ |
Trial 2 | _______ | _______ | ________________________
|
| | | ________________________ |
Trial 3 | _______ | _______ | ________________________
|
| | | ________________________ |
Trial 4 | _______ | _______ | ________________________
|
| | | ________________________ |
Trial 5 | _______ | _______ | ________________________
|
| | | ________________________
|
Conclusions:
- Can you eliminate the paper cup from the rocket and have it still
carry paper
clips?
- If each balloon costs one million dollars and you need to lift 100
paper
clips, how much money would you need to spend? Can you think of a way to
cut this cost?
IF TIME ALLOWS.. check with your teacher!
Without attaching the paper cup as a payload carrier, measure the distance
the balloon travels along the string in a horizontal, vertical, and 45
degree
angle. Analyze your data. What might account for different data?