Students At Unqouwa School Rocket Into Physics

FAIRFIELD — Unquowa School eighth graders ventured into rocket science recently as part of the Newton’s Law unit of their physics science curriculum.

“The unit we teach in physical science regarding Newton’s Laws – inertia, action and reaction, force and mass – lends itself to quite vivid demonstrations, which in turn engage the interest and involvement of the students,” science teacher Rosemarie F. Sullivan said. “In this so-called rocket project, the components are a bicycle pump, a hose to transfer air, mounting accessories to anchor it to the ground, and a simple, clear plastic one liter bottle that serves as our rockets.”

The variables in the experiment are the amount of water in the bottle, which is mass, and the amount of air pumped into the bottle, which is force, according to Ms Sullivan. When there is sufficient force to overcome the mass, there is lift-off and the bottle shoots up like a rocket.

“The students work in teams, and the lab work is done in phases,” she said. “This phase during which the students pump air into their rockets and see them lift off, is the data gathering phase.”

The students record the amounts of force and mass and take a crude measurement of the height of the lift, Ms Sullivan said. The students will go on to write a report that is extensive and analytical.

“Because the experiment is so vividly interactive, the learning process is enhanced and the laws of Dr Newtown are likely to be long remembered by the participants,” she said.