Water Rocket Hypothesis

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1.0 Introduction
1.1 Research Question, Aim and Hypothesis
1.1.1 Research Question
What are the best modifications to increase the launch height of a 1.25L water rocket?

1.1.2 Aim
The aim of the experiment was to investigate the effects of changing the air resistance and stability of the rocket and how it affects the rocket’s launch height when the air pressure and water volume is kept controlled.

1.1.3 Hypothesis
That by reducing the air resistance with a parabola shaped nose cone and tapered swept fins and increasing stability with the fins by pushing the centre of pressure back behind the centre of mass we would have achieved the greatest launch height that what was believed.
1.2 Justification of Hypothesis
Air resistance affects a rockets drag and stability. The amount of air resistance that has effect on a rocket’s velocity primarily depends on the shape of the nose cone. According to Newtons First Law an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force (Teacher Tech, 2018). This means that the rockets will remain in the air until the force of drag is acted upon it, slowing the rocket …show more content…

Although this did not support the hypothesis of tapered swept fins and the parabolic nose cone it does prove that the parabolic nose cone performed better. The parabolic shape was the best nose cone as stated in the hypothesis justification that it has the lowest drag coefficient and this proved correct in the experiment. The fins on the rocket may have cause more drag and unbalance then what was meant due to the material they were produced from and the situation it was made. This would have been why the experiment should the launch height dropping when the fins were put on and would require further testing to

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