| Are you looking for some topics to present that | | | | rocket perform on different planets in our solar |
| can add excitement to your science classroom? | | | | system. |
| Rocketry and space exploration, like no other | | | | 7. Dynamics and harmonic motion with damping. |
| subject, have a way to captivate students that | | | | 8. Engineering - how parts fit together. |
| makes it easy for them to learn science. They | | | | 9. Newton's Laws of motion. |
| are having so much fun, that they don't even | | | | 10. Artistic expression – because every |
| realize they are learning basic science concepts. | | | | student can design a different looking rocket, and |
| To leverage the benefits of this area of study, | | | | change colors of the components to further |
| you can use your school's computer to explore a | | | | increase the rocket's uniqueness. |
| lot of different science topics. | | | | 11. Explaining distance, velocity, and acceleration. |
| In this article, I'd like to give you some other | | | | 12. Material properties, like density and volume. |
| ideas on how to use the model rocket design | | | | 13. The importance of weight and balance (CG |
| software to demonstrate other basic science | | | | position) when designing rockets. |
| concepts. Here are some benefits to using | | | | 14. Explaining that Work = Force X Distance. |
| RockSim software: | | | | 15. Explaining the concepts of Kinetic and Potential |
| 1. Allows the student to simulate hundreds of | | | | Energy. |
| rocket flights very quickly -- this saves lots of | | | | 16. Showing free-fall, and terminal velocity. |
| money! Just think of the time saved too. You | | | | 17. The importance of units and unit conversion. |
| don't have to spend hundreds of dollar buying | | | | 18. The importance of following directions. |
| motors and hours-and-hours of time building | | | | 19. Exporting data and using spreadsheet |
| different configurations, launching, recovering, and | | | | programs to perform data reduction and |
| repacking rockets to test one control feature. | | | | manipulation |
| 2. Safety. When you go out to fly rockets, | | | | 20. To show why multi-stage and cluster motor |
| knowing how they'll behave is an important aspect | | | | rockets are used in real rockets. |
| of safety. Precautions can be made. By running | | | | 21. Concept of stored chemical energy (in the |
| the simulations, the students learn what concepts | | | | rocket propellant) and how it is converted to |
| contribute to keeping the actual launch safe. | | | | mechanical energy. |
| 3. The scientific value is awesome. Each launch | | | | 22. Concept of efficiency - getting the most |
| simulation generates a mountain of useful data. | | | | performance from the least exertion of energy. |
| Analyzing this data is a fantastic way to teach the | | | | Can be explained by the different types of |
| scientific method. | | | | propellant formulations. |
| 4. Students love software because it is fun! It has | | | | 23. Showing the concept of momentum and how |
| features like a video game, so the students may | | | | it affects the optimum mass of the rocket. |
| not realize how much they are learning at the | | | | 24. Finding the optimal launch angle for breezy |
| same time. | | | | conditions. |
| 5. The RockSim software is the same tool that is | | | | 25. Optimal launch angle for distance (ballistic |
| used by real rocketry professionals - like NASA, | | | | curves), and how it varies with the thrust curve |
| military contractors, and universities. So you can | | | | of the motor. |
| feel confident in the results you get back from | | | | 26. Show how the distribution of mass affects |
| the program. | | | | the dynamic stability of the rocket. |
| 6. The software allows students to explore their | | | | 27. Demonstrating the concept of "Numeric |
| creativity. They can design vastly different looking | | | | Precision" – the more iterations performed, |
| models, while learning engineering skills, assembly | | | | the better the accuracy. |
| steps, and physics. | | | | 28. Show how different shaped components |
| Here are just some of the many topics you can | | | | affect the static stability of the rocket. |
| explore with RockSim: | | | | 29. Compare the thrust curves of different |
| 1. Aerodynamics and drag reduction. | | | | motors. This can show how different geometries |
| 2. Forces of flight: Lift, Drag, Thrust, and Gravity. | | | | (hole size, location, dimensions) affect the thrust |
| 3. Projectile motion. | | | | produced by the rocket. |
| 4. Rocket propulsion as used for space travel. | | | | 30. Concept of "Impulse:" which is a thrust force |
| 5. Atmospheric studies: how does temperature | | | | multiplied by the time duration that thrust is |
| and pressure affect performance? | | | | created. The higher the impulse, the more power |
| 6. Planetary differences: how does the same | | | | the motor has. |