Water Rocket Project Overview

OBJECTIVE
To study impulse of a system with variable mass.

DESCRIPTION
Water rocket is a type of model rocket using water as its reaction mass. The pressure vessel, the engine of the rocket, is usually a used plastic soft drink bottle. The water is forced out by a pressurized gas, typically compressed air; thus, producing thrust to carry the rocket upwards.

Figure 1 shows the diagrammatic illustration for the structure of water rocket.

APPARATUS
Materials used in this project include the following,

• Plastic soft drink bottle
• Rubber cork
• bicycle pump
• launching pad

PROCEDURE

1. Compressed air is pumped which creates air bubbles floating up through the water and then pressurized the air volume in the bottle.
2. The bottle is released from the pump.
3. The water is pushed out the nozzle by the compressed air.

Assumption

• No air resistance acting when the rocket is propelling.
• No energy lost within the system.
• The path of propulsion is vertically upward.
• The weight of the bottle and air is negligible.

Theory



Schedule

Figure 2: Gantt Chart of Project Progress.