International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

A Pneumatic Rocket
Aim: IB Criteria Assessed
A short blast of air from our school’s pneumatic rocket launcher Design
can be used to propel a small paper rocket into the air. You Criteria Aspect Level
recently built your own rocket and saw how it could be launched assessed 1 2 3 awarded
with different variables. Based on what you learned making your D C C C 6
rocket, and while observing several rockets being launched, you
DCP
will design a lab that can be performed using our school’s rocket
launcher and any other simple equipment found in a normal CE
physics classroom.
ISM score 6/6 4/4 10/10
Apparatus:
• Pneumatic rocket launcher made of PVC pipe
• Foot powered air-pump
• Paper rocket of your own construction*
• Any other equipment needed that can be found in a normal physics classroom.

Foot
Pump

Design:
Design a procedure to test a factor that affects the flight of a small paper rocket when launched from a
pneumatic PVC launcher powered by a small air-pump. This procedure should include a means of…..

• Defining the Problem and selecting variables:

• Controlling the Variables:
• Developing a method for collecting data:

* The standard design of the rocket to be built by students will consist of a body that is 20 to 30 cm in
length, with a small nosecone, and small fins on the back. All students made their own minor
modifications. Any major modifications are welcome, but those should be clearly stated by the
student.
International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

Allan Noland (a pseudonym)

25/11/2007
IBH1 Physics
Rocket Design Lab
Distance vs Angle for a Rocket

Problem: How will changing the angle of launch affect the

horizontal distance traveled by a rocket?
Hypothesis: Changing the launch angle of a rocket (with all other factors kept constant) will
result in differing horizontal distances traveled by the rocket. The horizontal distance traveled
will increase as the launch angle becomes closer to 45%, and will decrease as it gets further
away. This will happen because of the combination of vertical and horizontal components of
the rockets initial velocity. The graph of the distance against launch angle will resemble the
following:

Distance

Launch Angle

Independent Variable: Angle that the rocket is launched at

(measured relative to the ground).

Dependent Variable: Horizontal distance traveled by the

rocket.
Controlled Variables:
• Rocket used (in order to keep mass, surface area, wing/nose shape etc. constant)
• Pressure used to launch rocket
• How deep the rocket is placed on the launcher
• Weather (to be kept as constant as possible by performing all trials within a short time
frame)
• Height that the rocket is initially launched from.
International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

Materials:
• Pneumatic rocket launcher made of PVC pipe
• Foot powered air-pump
• Paper rocket
• Protractor
• Measuring tape

Arjun Nandkishore

Method:

Rocket

Launch Valve
Angle

θ
PVC pipe
Foot
Pump

Pressure Gauge

Using the diagram above:

1. On the main body of the rocket, make a small pencil mark indicating 10 cms (from the
bottom of the rocket).
2. Place the rocket on the launcher so that the 10cm mark rests exactly on the tip of the
launcher (in other words, the rocket is placed so that exactly 10cm of it rest on the
launching tube).
3. Set the launch angle of 30 degrees (measured relative to the ground) for the rocket
using a protractor.
4. To launch the rocket, pump the foot-pump 20 times (and, for successive trials, simply
increase the pressure to an equivalent amount).
5. Open the valve, allowing the rocket to launch.
6. Record the horizontal distance traveled by the rocket.
7. Repeat steps 2-6 for all necessary launch angles and trials.
 International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

• In order to perform an adequate number of trials, launch the rocket at an angle

increasing in increments of 5 degrees until the launch angle reaches 70
degrees.
• For each launch angle, perform two trials and record the distance traveled on
both trials.
8. In all trials, measure the amount that the rocket is blown off a ‘straight’ path by any wind. If
this displacement is more than 10% of the total horizontal distance traveled, repeat the trial
and discard any results obtained from the wind-affected trial.

Instructor Comments
Internal Assessment Marking Form
Criteria Aspect 1 Aspect 2 Aspect 3

Defining the Controlling the Developing a method

Problem and Variables for collecting data
Selecting Next time, improve Next time, improve upon
upon your…… your……
Variables
Next time, improve
identification of method for easy data
upon your…… controlled variables collection
Research Question method of method for MORE data
ideas controlling variables collection
Wording of Research clarity of how much data to
Question take
Independent Variable
clarity of procedure
Dependent Variable
diagram
Design (D)

X Formulates a focused X Designs a method for X Develops a method that allows

problem/research the effective control of for the collection of sufficient
c=2 question and identifies the variables. relevant data.
the relevant variables.

Formulates a Designs a method that Develops a method that allows

problem/research makes some attempt to for the collection of insufficient
question that is control the variables. relevant data.
p=1 incomplete or identifies
only some relevant
variables.
Does not identify a Designs a method that Develops a method that does not
problem/research does not control the allow for any relevant data to be
n=0 question and does not variables. collected.
identify any relevant
variables.

Problems with……Defining the Problem and Selecting Variables:

 No problems. Your variables and your research question were all very clear.

Problems with……Controlling the Variables:

 No problems. You listed the variables to be controlled, and it was clear in your
procedure that they would indeed be controlled.
International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

Problems with……Developing a method for collecting data:

 No major problems. Well done.
 You will have enough data points by launching every 5 degrees.
 You will have multiple trials at each angle.
 You have made a note of when to discard a trial.
 Perhaps some clarification could have been given exactly how to use a
protractor (and hanging mass on string?) to find the angle, but I think this is
negligible.