Scientific Explorer Meteor Rocket Manual De Instrucciones página 9

Rocket Science
Why rockets fly:
As you watch The Meteor Rocket™ blast off, you might ask yourself what makes it fly. That's probably some-
thing the first Chinese rocketeers wondered when they invented rockets almost a thousand years ago. And it's
a question people have continued to think about for centuries as rocket knowledge spread across the world.
The secret to rocket flight can be found in the work of Sir Isaac Newton, a great scientist who lived in England
during the 1600's. His famous laws of motion explained that every action produces an equal and opposite
reaction. You can see this with a balloon when you blow it up and let go. What happens? It flies across the
room as the air inside flows out the mouth, pushing the balloon in the opposite direction.
The same thing happens with rockets. The earliest ones were small tubes packed with black powder. As the
powder burned it created gases that streamed out of the exhaust tube, pushing the rocket in the opposite
direction. The giant rockets we have today burn thousands of gallons of liquid fuel to create the flow of gas
needed to launch them into space.
Rocket fuel from food:
The Meteor Rocket™ flies for the same reasons. Mixing baking soda and vinegar causes a chemical reaction
that creates carbon dioxide gas. As the gas fills the rocket bottle, it creates more and more pressure against
the stopper until the fueling module pops out. The pressure blows the vinegar, baking soda, and gas out of the
bottle, pushing the rocket with an equal force in the opposite direction. The chemical reaction takes place
because baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid.
High pressure for high flights:
The high pressure fueling module is the secret to The Meteor Rocket's™ great power. Tightening the red
stopper lets more gas form inside the bottle before the fueling module is forced out. The higher pressure
pushes the gas, baking soda and vinegar out with more force and results in a higher flight.
Science Experiments
Exploring science with The Meteor Rocket™
Flying The Meteor Rocket™ is a great way to explore chemical reactions, matter, energy, aerodynamics, and a
host of other interesting topics. Here are a few experiments that young rocketeers will enjoy.
Is gourmet vinegar better?
Does stronger vinegar make better fuel? Check the label on the vinegar in your kitchen and you'll probably
find that it contains 5% acid and 95% water. Balsamic vinegar is usually one percent stronger (6% acid), and
some specialty vinegar concentrates have an acid content over 15%. Fuel The Meteor Rocket™ with different
strength vinegars and compare the flight performance to see which ones produce the most power.
How much is too much?
The directions suggest filling The Meteor Rocket™ with up to one cup of vinegar and less than 3 tablespoons
of baking soda. What will happen if you add more? Will the rocket fly twice as high if you double the fuel
amounts? What happens if you use less fuel?
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