First Launch

Today marked the beginning of our bottle rocket experiment. After a demonstration of the process by Mr. Blake, we prepared to set up our own rocket. We placed a stand in the field and filled the bottle with 500 milliliters of water, which is its sole fuel. After it received eight pumps from the bike pump, Mahea pulled the rope to release it. At first, the bottle slightly fell over and did not go into the sky. However, much to my audible surprise, it suddenly launched upwards and stayed in the air for about four seconds. Our next launch has to incorporate modifications, so we will find out by the next launch day how certain additions to the overall mass of the rocket will affect its acceleration. Since we are going to add fins to our rocket, the following link reflects the dynamics involved with using them.

http://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=2140