Name: ____________________________
Partners: ________________________________________________
Date: __________
Period: _________
Rocket Lab Part 1: Vertical Launch
Hilltoppers, I have a challenge for you.
We have six air-powered rockets that we are going to shoot out on the field. How fast do they launch? How
high do they go?
Obviously, we need some more equipment, so I’ll give you a stopwatch as well. Each team will need:
2 Stopwatches (have 2 people time each launch)
1 Rocket
1 Rocket base
1 Air pump
2 Calculators
1) How fast is the rocket going to be traveling at the top of its flight?
vf =
2) What acceleration of the rocket at the top of its projectile path? CAREFUL!!!
a=
(the sign of your answer is important because it indicates direction)
3) Like so many projectile problems, TIME is KEY to finding what we need, in this case the initial velocity
of the rocket. Specifically, your team will need to find the time the rocket takes to get to the top of its
flight (tup). Your team has 2 stopwatches, but judging exactly when the rocket is at the top of its flight
can be very difficult to do accurately. If you’re clever, you can figure out a way to determine this time
by launching the rocket. Write down your method here:
4) Your team is now almost ready to head outside to find how fast the rockets launch (vi). The final step is
to write the equation that relates the variables discussed above (vf, vi, a, t) and rearrange it to solve for
the initial velocity of the rocket.
5) Once your team has found the initial velocity of the rocket, determining the maximum height (dy) the
rocket will reach is quite straightforward. Write down the equation that your team will use to find
maximum height of the rocket:
Great! Now show your instructor your lab so we can go outside already!!!!
OUTSIDE (RECORD YOUR CAP LETTER!):
Launch the rocket, find your data, and calculate the initial velocity of the rocket.
Cap Letter:
Now, using the information you’ve collected, how high did your rocket go?
Now show the instructor your results. If they’re correct, you will receive a modification for your rocket. Repeat
the procedure, and calculate the rocket’s initial velocity, and height.
Cap Letter:
Show your instructor the results. If they’re correct, great! Stand over by the goal post, and wait for the other
teams. Once everyone has finished this, there’s one more thing we’re going to do. Wait for further instructions.
Cap Letter:
Rocket Lab Part 2: Angled Projectile
Q: How long is it going to be in the air?
A: Well, I think it’s gonna be a long, long time. 
Yesterday, we found the initial velocities of our rockets using various caps. For this lab, we will give you the
angle (θ) that the rocket is shot off at. Using the initial velocity that you solved for one of your caps the
previous day, we will be able to predict how far your rocket flies with the angle that has been given to you!
Cap letter:
___________
Angle (θ):
___________
Vi of Rocket: ___________
Okay, now that we’re done with that, this lab will be just like the problems we’ve done in class. Using the
angle that was given to you and the initial velocity of your cap, do a calculation to predict how far your
rocket will go (also known as the range, dx) and then get it checked with your teacher before you launch.
Follow the normal steps for solving a projectile problem, and SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!!!
Components:
Time of Total Flight:
Range:
Make a table with columns for angle, predicted distance, actual distance, and percent difference. Don’t forget
to show your work when calculating percent difference.
What, you thought you were done? Lastly, calculate the maximum height (dy) you rocket should have
achieved when it was launched at your angle: