Curriculum topics:
 Forces
 Motion
 Gravity
 Newton’s Laws
PUFF ROCKET
Propel a straw “rocket” through the air
Subjects:
Earth/Space
Science,
Physical Science
Grade range: K – 12
Hypothesize, experiment, collect data and analyze forces and motion
with straw “rockets” and an easily made launcher. The stronger the
force, the farther and higher the rocket flies! What changes can be
made to improve the rocket’s flight?
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© 2014, RAFT
http://www.raft.net/raft-idea?isid=335
Materials required
For each student:
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Squeezable bottle, ~120 -180ml (4-6 fl. oz.)
Adhesive-backed foam, large enough to
cover bottle opening, about 1 cm (½”) thick
3 straws, 1 with a smaller diameter
Soft foam piece, about 2.5 cm (1”) long with
1 cm (½”) diameter
WARNING:
CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts
Not for children under 3 yrs.
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Pencil, with a diameter close to the diameter
of the straws, sharpened to use as a tool
Adhesive labels (return address or equal) or
stiff paper/thin cardstock to use for fins
Glue or tape as needed for attaching fins
Safe Use of the Puff Rocket – The Puff Rocket is
not a toy and is intended for use under adult
supervision. Always aim the straw in a safe
direction. Never aim the straw toward another
person. Never aim the straw toward eyes.
Design Challenge Introduction
After students build 2 “rockets” using the larger diameter straws in steps 4 and 5, have the students go
to the To Do and Notice section to test different launch angles. Then have students modify one rocket
by adding fins as described in step 6. Have students compare flights of the “control” rocket (no fins) to
the modified (fin) rocket. Challenge students to make other changes to one rocket to compare to the
other rocket in order to create a higher, more controlled, or longer flight. Changes could be made to the
length of the rocket, fin shape, fin size, fin number, or amount of foam sticking out the “nose cone”
How to build it
11
Remove the release paper covering the adhesive on the larger
foam piece. Place the adhesive side of the foam over the mouth of
the bottle.
Do it Yourself Tip: Other materials (clay, tape, etc.) could be used instead of foam. If using foam without
adhesive backing, secure with glue or tape.
2
Insert and twist the sharp pencil through the attached
foam. The hole must go all the way into the bottle. The
hole needs to be round and small enough to make an
airtight seal with the smaller diameter straw.
2 Insert the smaller diameter straw through the hole in the foam
until the straw just comes out of the other side of the foam
piece. Note: if the straw has a spoon end – insert that end into
the hole in the foam.
3
43
Press and roll the piece of soft foam to create a tip for the “rocket”.
5
Insert the rolled foam into the end of the larger diameter straw.
Insert almost all of the foam into the straw. Leaving a little
bit of the foam sticking out creates a soft and safer “nose
cone”. Repeat to make 2 rockets.
Puff Rocket, page 2
© 2014, RAFT
Add fins to one of the two rockets. Different styles and number of fins may be added. Students with
good fine motor skills can attach a small section of an adhesive label near the open end of the
straw. Fold 1/4 of the label back on itself so the sticky sides touch to form a fin, attach the fin and
repeat to form 2 or 3 fins as shown below. Alternatively, small sections of an adhesive label can be
used to make an individual fin to be attached in a similar fashion. The labels can be trimmed, as
shown below, to create a triangle shape. Another alternative is for fins to be cut from stiff paper or
thin cardboard and attached to the rocket with tape or glue.
6
Cut
To do and notice
1
Insert the open end of the small diameter straw (sticking out of the bottle) into the open end of
the large diameter straw rocket. Make sure the straws slide together easily. If not, check that the
straws are round, straight, and smooth. Adjust or replace as needed to create a loose fit.
2
Aim the first straw rocket in a safe direction. Count down (3, 2, 1…) and give the bottle a quick
squeeze. Your rocket will take off!
3
4
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Keeping the same angle, launch the second rocket. Did one rocket fly farther or straighter? What
caused the difference in performance?
Test different launch angles, or make other physical changes to one rocket. Repeat steps 1-2.
How does the flight differ between the “control” rocket and the modified rocket?
The science behind the activity
Objects at rest stay at rest unless acted upon by a force. The straw rocket stays put until an unbalanced
force is introduced. Squeezing the bottle puts pressurized air into the chamber formed by the two straws.
When the force exerted by the pressurized air is greater than the force of gravity acting on the rocket’s
mass, then the rocket will move. An upward-angled flight will move up and forward. All directions of
motion are resisted and slowed by drag (air resistance). At the maximum height, the upward component
of the momentum is reduced to zero by gravity and drag. The rocket continues forward, due to the
remaining forward component of the momentum, and downward, due to gravity.
In this activity, students will repeatedly use the scientific method: hypothesize, experiment, collect data,
analyze, and re-test comparing control to modified rockets. During the activity, students will also
discover some of the basic principles of motion. Rocket design is classic Newtonian physics in action.
Newton's Laws of motion are:
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Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external
force is applied to it. (Inertia)
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The relationship between an applied force F on an object and the object's mass m and acceleration
a is F = ma.
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For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Puff Rocket, page 3
© 2014, RAFT
Curriculum
Standards:
Forces & Motion
(Next Generation
Science Standards:
Grade K, Physical
Science 2-1 & 2-2;
Grade 3, Physical
Science 2-1 & 2-2;
Middle School,
Physical Science 2-2;
High School,
Physical Science 2-1)
Learn more
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Students can add a ribbon to the tail or change a variable such as fin
design, fin material, straw length, straw diameter, angle of launch, or
volume of the bottle.
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Take measurements of the height the rocket reaches and/or the landing
distance from the launch point for different launch angles, amount of foam
sticking out of the rocket nose, or other launch/rocket variable.
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Measure time aloft for vertical launches under different conditions.
Related activities: See RAFT Idea Sheets:
Kinetic and Potential
Energy
(Next Generation
Science Standards:
Grade 4, Physical
Science 3-1; Middle
School, Physical
Science 3-5)
Catapults: Motion (force, push or pull)
Catapult –
http://www.raft.net/ideas/Catapult.pdf
Staple Remover Catapult –
http://www.raft.net/ideas/Staple Remover Catapult.pdf
Gravity
(Next Generation
Science Standards:
Grade 5, Physical
Science 2-1)
Rockets: Motion (force, push or pull)
Foam Tipped Stomp Rocket http://www.raft.net/ideas/Foam Tipped Stomp Rocket.pdf
Stomp Rocket http://www.raft.net/ideas/Stomp Rocket.pdf
Hovercraft –
http://www.raft.net/ideas/Hovercraft.pdf
Resources
Visit www.raft.net/raft-idea?isid=335 for “how-to” video demos & more ideas!
See these websites for more information on the following topics:
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Additional standards at:
http://www.raft.net/raftidea?isid=335
Puff Rocket, page 4
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Basic rocket guide from NASA –
http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/bgmr.html
Index to rocket information from NASA –
http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/shortr.html
A puff rocket with wings –
http://space.about.com/od/activities/ss/bottlerocket.htm
A puff rocket using a balloon as the air source –
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/resources/launch_it.html
Creating air powered rockets –
http://www.scienceguy.org/Articles/AirRockets.aspx
© 2014, RAFT