Rocket Research By Hana Booth 7T

What are the three laws of motion?

The three laws of motion are three rules that are applied to physics. They were created by
English scientist Isaac Newton (1642-1727) and published in his book, “Principia
Mathematica” in 1687. (Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, makemegenius, 2013).
The First Law of Motion
This law is often called, “The Law of Inertia”. It explains the tendency for objects to keep
doing what they are doing. If an object is at rest, it will remain at rest, unless acted upon by
an outside force. Likewise, if an object is moving, it will keep moving at the same speed and
in the same direction, unless acted upon by an outside force. Basically, objects like to either
stay where they are or keep moving forever. For example, if a soccer ball is lying on the
ground, it won’t start moving until an external force is applied to it. If the ball is kicked then,
as a force has been applied, it will start moving. It won’t stop moving with the same
direction and speed until an unbalanced force, such as air resistance (friction), is applied. In
space, with no atmosphere, the ball would simply keep moving. This concept is inertia. Isaac
Newton wrote, “Objects will remain at rest or in a uniform motion in a straight line unless
acted upon by an external unbalanced force”. Unbalanced means there is nothing to
equalise the force. For example, rain falls towards the ground because the air resistance is
weaker than the force of gravity. (Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, makemegenius, 2013)

F IGURE 1 HTTP://POSTONPHYSICALSCIENCE.WEEBLY. COM /NEWTONS-FIRST- LAW- OF- MOTION.HTML

The Second Law of Motion
Newton’s second law involves the direct relationship between force, mass and acceleration.
According to Newton, “The acceleration of an object produced by a net (total) applied force
is directly related to the magnitude of the force, the same direction as the force, and
inversely related to the mass of the object.” There is a formula which represents this in a
simpler way: F=ma, where F=force, m=mass and a=acceleration. This means that an object
with a larger mass would take a lot more force to move than an object with a smaller mass.
The larger the force, and the smaller the mass, the faster the acceleration. For example,
there is a man weighing 100kg and a girl weighing 20kg. I would need to apply a stronger
force (measured in Newtons-N) to move the man because he has a larger mass. The
stronger the force I apply to the girl, the faster she will move. This is the same with
anything. (Newton’s Second Law of Motion, MyEduWorld, 2013)

F IGURE 2 NEWTON 'S SECOND LAW OF MOTION. THE RED BALL ACCELERATED FASTER THAN THE BLUE
BALL BECAUSE A GREATER FORCE EQUALS A GREATER ACCELERATION .

The Third Law of Motion

The simple way of saying it is, “For every force there is an equal and opposite reaction”. This
means that forces are found in pairs. In each pair, there is an action force and a reaction
force. Whenever an object pushes, or applies force to (action), another object, it gets
pushed back with the same amount of force but in the opposite direction (reaction). A
simplified demonstration of this law is, “You cannot touch without being touched”. There is
also a formula which represents this: FAB = -FBA where F=force, A=body A (the first object)
and B=body B (the second object). The subscript AB means that body A is exerting a force on
body B and BA means body B is exerting a force in body A. The negative sign means that the
second force (the reaction) is in the opposite direction to the first force. An example of this
law would be when you sit down on a chair. You are applying a force on the chair by pushing
down on it and the chair is pushing you up, otherwise it would collapse. (Equal and Opposite
Reactions, Rachel Ross, 2017)
F IGURE 3 HTTP:// SCIENCEUNIVERSE 101.BLOGSPOT.COM /2011/12/ NEWTONS-THIRD- LAW- OF-
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F IGURE 4 NEWTON 'S THIRD LAW OF MOTION IS DEMONSTRATED BY A PENDULUM.

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What are the basic elements of flight?

There are four forces that affect things that fly: weight, thrust, lift and drag. Lift and thrust
assist flight while weight and drag resist flight. If an aircraft is flying straight and level, it
means that these four forces are in equilibrium (balance). (Basics of flight, unstated author,
unstated date)
Weight acts toward the centre of the Earth (in a downward direction) because it is the force
of gravity. (How Things Fly, unstated author, unstated date)
Lift acts at a right angle to the direction of motion* through the air. It is created by
differences in air pressure. With airplanes, its lift is created mostly by its wings. (How Things
Fly)
Thrust is produces by engines, propellers and rockets. “Air is pulled in then pushed out in an
opposite direction.” (NASA Four Forces of Flight, unstated author, unstated date) It propels
a flying vehicle in the direction of motion*.
Drag is caused by friction and differences in air pressure. Its acts opposite to the direction of
motion* and usually slows an object. (How Things Fly)
*The direction of motion is the direction in which an object is moving.
Each of these four forces has a force that works against it. Weight works against lift and
thrust works against drag.
The four forces control the way a plane flies:

“If lift becomes greater than weight, then the plane will accelerate upward.

If the weight is greater than the lift, then the plane will accelerate downward.

When the thrust becomes greater than the drag, the plane will accelerate forward.

If drag becomes greater than the thrust a deceleration will occur.” (The 4 Four Forces of
Flight, unstated author, unstated date)

F IGURE 5 EACH OF THE FOUR FORCES HAS AN OPPOSITE FORCE WHICH WORKS AGAINST IT. LIFT WORKS
AGAINST WEIGHT AND THRUST WORKS AGAINST DRAG . (NASA F OUR F ORCES OF F LIGHT )

Explain the aerodynamics that might affect my rocket.

Rocket aerodynamics are the forces expressed on a rocket while it is in flight. It controls the
way air flows over a rocket and also its drag and stability. There are numerous factors which
can affect this, for example, the shape of the nose cone, the diameter of the rocket body,
the size of its fins and the ability of them to control direction and the overall mass of the
rocket.
The style and form of the nose cone is one of the major factors of rocket aerodynamics
because it controls the efficiency of the drag minimization. While sharper nose cones are
generally more aerodynamic than blunter designs, the ideal shape is a parabola. A parabola
is a cone-like shape with a slightly rounded end. They are great for nose cones because they
easily break through the air and reduce air resistance. It is insignificant whether it is hollow
or solid. However, it is extremely important that the nose cone is symmetrical as an
irregular shape will not fly in a straight direction. It is also important that the shape
comprises of curved surfaces; a shape with flat surfaces could prevent stabilisation of the
rocket.

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54790/ INDEX3.HTML
Another factor is the diameter and style of the rocket body. Cylinders are commonly used
for the bodies because out of all the shapes, circles have the largest area in relation to the
perimeter. They also provide maximum internal pressure. Rockets with larger diameters are
usually less aerodynamic than thinner rockets as drag depends on the cross-sectional area
of an object pushing through the air and a larger cross-section equals a larger amount of air
being pushed. A rocket that is too thin, however, could become unstable, which would
prevent it from travelling in a straight direction.
The size and shape of a rocket’s fins are also significant to its flight. It is important that they
are the right size for the rocket because only then can they generate maximum benefit. If
they are too small, the wind will not be neutralized by the lift and if they are too large, the
rocket will fly against the wind. Model rockets should have at least three fins because the
more fins there are, the more stable it is. With more fins, however, it is mandatory that they
are placed symmetrically because otherwise the rocket will probably veer off course. Too
many will make it heavier. Although fins that are placed closer towards the nose cone will
create more stability, they are usually placed near the bottom on model rockets. The ideal
fin shape is a triangle. Longer and thinner fins are better because they are streamlined and
will help the rocket cut through the air.
(Science Learn, unspecified author, 2011)
What is terminal velocity?
Terminal velocity is the highest speed attainable by an object as it falls through a fluid, most
commonly air. An object reaches terminal velocity when its drag force (eg. air resistance or
friction) is equal to the gravity acting on it.
An object that is dropped will first accelerate due to gravity, but the atmosphere exerts an
opposing force called air resistance. Air resistance increases as the object gets faster and
faster. After a particular time, the two forces are equal and terminal velocity is reached.
Terminal velocity depends on an object's weight (not mass because mass is the same
regardless of the gravitational pull), its shape and the density of the atmosphere.
(Study, unspecified author, unspecified date)
(Pearson Science 7, Greg Rickard, Forces chapter)

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FILTER .HTML

What is the formula for kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy is the energy of mass in motion. It can occur in any direction, horizontal or
vertical. An object keeps the same amount of kinetic energy unless it speeds up or slows
down. When an object collides with another object, it will transfer its kinetic energy. Kinetic
energy is determined by two factors, mass and velocity(speed). It is measured in Joules.
Here is the formula to calculate it:
KE=1/2*m*v^2
Where m=mass and v=velocity
As one joule=1kg*m^2/s^2, we can use kilograms for the mass and metres per second for
the velocity to make it easier.
For example, a girl weighing 20kg is moving at 2 metres per second.
KE=1/2*m*v^2
KE=1/2*20*2^2
KE=1/2*20*4
KE=40J
(Physics Classroom, unspecified author, 1996 – )
List all the components necessary to build a model rocket.
To build my model rocket, I will need a variety of structural parts that will perform different
functions for my rocket. I will need a nose cone, a payload section, a transition section, a
shock cord mount, a shock cord, a parachute, shroud lines, recovery wadding, a body tube, a
launch lug, fins, an engine block, a rocket engine and an igniter.
The nose cone causes the air to flow smoothly around the rocket. They are made from
either plastic, balsa wood, Styrofoam, fiberglass or hardwood.
The payload section is optional and not all rockets have one. It is used to carry things, for
example, altimeters or cameras.
Transition sections are used to connect body tubes of different diameters, so not all rockets
need them. They are made from plastic, balsa wood, hardwood, fiberglass or paper. They
can be hollow or solid.
The shock cord holds the parts of the rocket together after they separate at ejection. They
can be made from sewing elastic, rubber, nylon or Kevlar. Some are elastic while others
aren’t.
The shock cord mount must be attached to the rocket body. The most common example is a
folded paper mount glued to the inside of the body tube.
The parachute is a recovery system and therefore slows the descent. They are "expelled
from the body tube by the ejection charge of the rocket motor after a delay to allow the
rocket to reach apogee and be travelling at a relatively slow speed". Parachutes are usually
made from thin plastic or cloth.
Shroud lines connect the parachute to the rest of the rocket. Most of them are made of
strong thread. There are typically 6 or 8 lines on a model rocket parachute but more of them
can have a greater efficiency.
The recovery wadding protects the parachute from the hot blast of the motor ejection
charge. Without it, a plastic parachute would melt. It has to be made from a flame resistant
material, such as chemically treated tissue paper or cellulose insulation.
The body tube is the airframe of the model rocket. They are normally made of paper,
fiberglass or plastic and there can be more than one. The tube (or tubes) usually contains an
engine mount to hold the motor and space for the recovery system.
The launch lug stabilises the rocket. "When a model rocket first begins to lift off, it is
traveling too slowly for the fins to provide aerodynamic guidance, so the rocket must be
guided for the first few feet by a launch rod or rail". The lug allows the rocket to slide along
the rod. It is typically a small diameter tube.
The fins provide aerodynamic stability so the rocket will fly straight. They are made from
plastic, balsa wood, plywood, fiberglass or cardboard. Most model rockets have three or
four fins.
The engine block prevents the motor moving forward into the rocket during thrusting. They
are typically thick paper rings glued into the motor mount tube.
The engine is what propels the rocket into the air during the launch. They are usually made
from thick wound paper tubes and contain a ceramic nozzle, a solid propellant grain, a slow-
burning delay element, and a loose-grained ejection charge that is retained by a clay cap.
Model rocket engines are mostly non-reusable.
The igniter is typically made from wires that connect to a thin wire coated in pyrogen.
Model rockets are always ignited electrically from a safe distance. The pyrogen-coated tip is
placed into the rocket motor’s nozzle and is in contact with the solid propellant. When
enough electrical current is passed through the igniter, the thin wire heats up, igniting the
pyrogen, which in turn, ignites the motor propellant and thrusts the rocket up.
(Parts of a Model Rocket, unspecified author, unspecified date)

F IGURE 8 HTTP ://MICROGRAVITY . GRC. NASA. GOV/EDUCATION/ROCKET/ RKTPARTS. HTML

What are the main stages or rocket systems for building a rocket?
This is how to build a model rocket, according to Instructables.
How to Build a Model Rocket
Instructions
1. Assemble the engine mount.
2. Prepare the fins.
3. Mark the tube.
4. Install the engine mount.
5. Attach the fins.
6. Attach the launch lug.
7. Attach the shock cord.
 8. Assemble the recovery system.
9. Load the recovery system.
10. Paint and decorate your rocket.
(Instructables, Wijoon, 2012)
What variations of model rockets exist?
There are two types of model rockets, small model rockets and large model rockets. Small
models weigh under 500g and they produce less than 20Ns impulse in total. Large models
weigh between 500g and 1500g, have less than 125g of propellant and produce between
20Ns and 320Ns of impulse. (CASA, unspecified author, 2002)
The two variations of fuel used by rockets are solid fuel and liquid fuel. While NASA mostly
uses liquid fuel for their full scale rockets, models usually use solid fuel. There are different
forms of solid fuel, including composite and black powder.
Black powder engines are most commonly used. They are the traditional engines which have
been made since the 1950's. They consist of a "paper tube with a clay nozzle, a solid pellet
of black powder propellant, a smoke/delay charge, and an ejection charge". They are single
use only.
Composite fuels are generally lighter and they are made from a high temperature plastic.
The fuel is a pellet of a rubbery material. These engines are three times as powerful as black
powder, which is a benefit because composite motors can be made smaller but still have the
same thrust. They come in single use and reloadable engines.
There are also multi stage engines available. These fire multiple times after the model
rocket launches, much like the engines NASA use.
(ASP Rocketry, unspecified author, unspecified date)
What are the various sizes of black powder engines?
Black powder engines are the most commonly used engines for model rockets. They consist
of a tube with a nozzle, a pellet of black powder propellant and an injection charge. (Lunar,
unstated author, unstated date)
Various Sizes of Black Powder Engines
Size ID (Inside Diameter) Length
2 oz. 3/8” 2-3/4”
4 oz. 1/2” 5”
8 oz. 5/8” 6-1/4”
1 lb 3/4” 7-1/2”
2 lb 7/8” 10”
3 lb 1” 10”
4 lb 1-1/4” 12”
6 lb 1-1/2” 16”

1 oz (ounce)  28g
1 lb (pound)  450g
1” (inch)  25mm

F IGURE 9 THE MAIN SIZES OF BLACK POWDER ENGINES

HTTP ://TULSAROCKETRY . ORG / EDUCATION / BLACK- POWDER- MOTOR- FAQ/
F IGURE 10 HTTP:// QUOTEIMG .COM/ ESTES- ROCKET-ENGINE- CHART/
According to CASA, what regulations exist regarding the use of model rockets?
According to CASA, there are many rules and regulations that need to be complied with
when building, launching and flying a small model rocket.
1. What is a small model rocket?
To be classified as a small model, a rocket must weigh under 500g and either carry less than
25g of propellant or produce no more than 20 Newton-seconds of impulse. Its structural
parts must be made of balsa, wood, paper, plastics or a combination of these. It cannot
contain metal.
2. Choosing the site
Never operate a rocket somewhere without the approval of the authority controlling the
area. The launch site should be free of low flying aircraft, tall trees, overhead powerlines
and dry bush and grass. A model rocket can drift so make sure the site is not close to any
residential areas. Do not operate in a movement area or runway of an aerodrome, or the
approach or departure path of an aerodrome, without approval.
3. Preparation
When constructing your rocket, be sure to fit the parts properly because dropping or
discharging of objects that are a hazard to people, property or aircraft is against the law.
Always use a recovery system that will get the rocket back down in a condition to fly again.
If using wadding, make sure it is flame resistant. Never use homemade motors.
4. Launching
Never launch at night or with winds faster than 30km/h. Always check that everyone in the
area is aware of your launch. Make sure there are no overhead clouds (the visibility must
allow continued observation of your rocket) then check its stability. It must be pointed
within 30 degrees of vertical when launching. Stand back from it at least five metres. Give
an audible countdown. If it fails to ignite, wait at least one minute before approaching it.
Never attempt to retrieve it if it becomes tangled in a power line.
5. General use
Never operate a rocket in a manner that is harmful to people, property or aircraft. Never
carry live animals except for insects.
(CASA, unspecified author, July 2002)
What is the maximum height model rockets can reach without a permit?
A model rocket must not be launched higher than 400ft (121.92 metres) in a controlled
airspace except “in an approved area” (CASA, July 2002) or “in accordance with an air traffic
clearance” (CASA, July 2002).
This is further explained in the CASA Rules and Regulations (Unmanned Aircrafts and
Rockets) in paragraph 5.10.2, “This means that a person cannot operate a high power rocket
higher than 400ft AGL in any area other than one that has been designated by CASA as a
suitable area.”
AGL= Above Ground Level
What size rocket engine?
I think I will be using a small size black powder rocket engine, such as a mini engine, or a
medium size engine, such as a standard engine, because if my rocket is to be classified as a
small model, its engine needs to either carry less than 25g of propellant or produce no more
than 20 Newton-seconds of impulse (CASA). If my engine is too large it will not fit into my
body tube. Even if it did, it would increase the drag for my rocket and affect its flight in a
negative way. On the other hand, an engine too small would not produce enough thrust at
the launching stage to propel the rocket into the air. The larger and heavier the rocket, the
bigger and more powerful my engine needs to be.
Bibliography
Author
[Title, Year]
URL
Internet Sites
Makemegenius
[What are the three laws of motion?, 2013]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn34mnnDnKU
MyEduWorld
[What is Newton’s Second Law of Motion, 2013]
http://www.physics4kids.com/files/motion_laws.html
Rachel Ross
[Equal and Opposite Reactions, 2017]
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/k-4/features/F_Four_Forces_of_Flight.html
Anonymous
[How Things Fly]
http://howthingsfly.si.edu/forces-flight
Anonymous
[The Four Forces of Flight]
http://www.aviastar.org/theory/basics_of_flight/
ScienceLearn
[Rocket Aerodynamics, 2011]
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/392-rocket-aerodynamics
Study
[What is Terminal Velocity?]
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-terminal-velocity-definition-formula-
calculation-examples.html
Study
[Kinetic Energy]
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/energy/Lesson-1/Kinetic-Energy
Anonymous
[Parts of a Model Rocket]
http://www.unm.edu/~tbeach/IT145/week05/parts.html
Wijoon
[Building a Model Rocket, 2012]
http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Model-Rocket-Introduction/
ASP Rocketry
[About Model Rocket Engines]
https://www.asp-rocketry.com/uploaded_files/files/About-Model-Rocket-
Engines.pdf?1424889095888
Lunar
[Motors]
http://www.lunar.org/docs/handbook/motors.shtml
CASA
[Unmanned Aircrafts and Rockets, 2002]
https://www.casa.gov.au/files/101c02pdf
Books
Greg Rickard
[Pearson Science 7, Forces]
Pearson Science 7 – Book