| Are you looking for some topics to
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| | performance?
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| present that can addexcitement to your
| |
| | 6. Planetary differences: how does the
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| science classroom? Rocketry and
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| | same rocket performon different planets
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| spaceexploration, like no other subject,
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| | in our solar system.
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| have a way to captivatestudents that
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| | 7. Dynamics and harmonic motion with
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| makes it easy for them to learn science.
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| | damping.
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| Theyare having so much fun, that they
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| | 8. Engineering - how parts fit together.
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| don't even realize theyare learning basic
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| | 9. Newton's Laws of motion.
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| science concepts.
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| | 10. Artistic expression - because every
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| To leverage the benefits of this area of
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| | student can design adifferent looking
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| study, you can useyour school's computer
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| | rocket, and change colors of
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| to explore a lot of different
| |
| | thecomponents to further increase the
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| sciencetopics. In the January 2005 issue
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| | rocket's uniqueness.
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| of the education magazine,
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| | 11. Explaining distance, velocity, and
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| "Tech Directions" ( there isan article by
| |
| | acceleration.
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| Spencer C. Wilson of J.R. Fugett Middle
| |
| | 12. Material properties, like density and
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| Schoolin West Chester. In it, he
| |
| | volume.
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| describes how he uses a rocketdesign
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| | 13. The importance of weight and balance
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| software, called RockSim ( toshow
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| | (CG position) whendesigning rockets.
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| students the process of engineering
| |
| | 14. Explaining that Work = Force X
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| design.
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| | Distance.
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| In this article, I'd like to give you
| |
| | 15. Explaining the concepts of Kinetic
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| some other ideas onhow to use the model
| |
| | and Potential Energy.
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| rocket design software to
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| | 16. Showing free-fall, and terminal
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| demonstrateother basic science concepts.
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| | velocity.
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| Here are some benefits tousing RockSim
| |
| | 17. The importance of units and unit
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| software:
| |
| | conversion.
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| 1. Allows the student to simulate
| |
| | 18. The importance of following
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| hundreds of rocket flightsvery quickly --
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| | directions.
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| this saves lots of money! Just think of
| |
| | 19. Exporting data and using spreadsheet
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| thetime saved too. You don't have to
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| | programs to performdata reduction and
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| spend hundreds of dollarbuying motors and
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| | manipulation
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| hours-and-hours of time building
| |
| | 20. To show why multi-stage and cluster
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| differentconfigurations, launching,
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| | motor rockets areused in real rockets.
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| recovering, and repacking rocketsto test
| |
| | 21. Concept of stored chemical energy (in
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| one control feature.
| |
| | the rocketpropellant) and how it is
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| 2. Safety. When you go out to fly
| |
| | converted to mechanical energy.
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| rockets, knowing howthey'll behave is an
| |
| | 22. Concept of efficiency - getting the
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| important aspect of safety.
| |
| | most performancefrom the least exertion
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| Precautionscan be made. By running the
| |
| | of energy. Can be explained by
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| simulations, the students learnwhat
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| | thedifferent types of propellant
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| concepts contribute to keeping the actual
| |
| | formulations.
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| launch safe.
| |
| | 23. Showing the concept of momentum and
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| 3. The scientific value is awesome. Each
| |
| | how it affects theoptimum mass of the
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| launch simulationgenerates a mountain of
| |
| | rocket.
|
| useful data. Analyzing this data isa
| |
| | 24. Finding the optimal launch angle for
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| fantastic way to teach the scientific
| |
| | breezy conditions.
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| method.
| |
| | 25. Optimal launch angle for distance
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| 4. Students love software because it is
| |
| | (ballistic curves),and how it varies with
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| fun! It has featureslike a video game, so
| |
| | the thrust curve of the motor.
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| the students may not realize how muchthey
| |
| | 26. Show how the distribution of mass
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| are learning at the same time.
| |
| | affects the dynamicstability of the
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| 5. The RockSim software is the same tool
| |
| | rocket.
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| that is used byreal rocketry
| |
| | 27. Demonstrating the concept of "Numeric
|
| professionals - like NASA,
| |
| | Precision" -- themore iterations
|
| militarycontractors, and universities. So
| |
| | performed, the better the accuracy.
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| you can feel confident inthe results you
| |
| | 28. Show how different shaped components
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| get back from the program.
| |
| | affects the staticstability of the
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| 6. The software allows students to
| |
| | rocket.
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| explore their creativity.
| |
| | 29. Compare the thrust curves of
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| They can design vastly different looking
| |
| | different motors. This canshow how
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| models, whilelearning engineering skills,
| |
| | different geometries (hole size,
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| assembly steps, and physics.
| |
| | location,dimensions) affect the thrust
|
| Here are just some of the many topics you
| |
| | produced by the rocket.
|
| can explore with
| |
| | 30. Concept of "Impulse:" which is a
|
| RockSim:
| |
| | thrust force multipliedby the time
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| 1. Aerodynamics and drag reduction.
| |
| | duration that thrust is created. The
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| 2. Forces of flight: Lift, Drag, Thrust,
| |
| | higher theimpulse, the more power the
|
| and Gravity.
| |
| | motor has.
|
| 3. Projectile motion.
| |
| | As you can see, the RockSim software is a
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| 4. Rocket propulsion as used for space
| |
| | versatile tool.
|
| travel.
| |
| | You'll save hundreds of dollars because
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| 5. Atmospheric studies: how does
| |
| | it can be used in avariety of ways.
|
| temperature and pressureaffect
| |
| |
|
