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Are you looking for some
topics to present that can add excitement to your science
classroom? Rocketry and space exploration, like no other
subject, have a way to captivate students that makes it
easy for them to learn science. They are having so much
fun, that they don't even realize they are learning basic
science concepts.
To leverage the benefits of
this area of study, you can use your school's computer to
explore a lot of different science topics. In the January
2005 issue of the education magazine, "Tech
Directions" (http://www.techdirections.com),
there is an article by Spencer C. Wilson of J.R. Fugett
Middle School in West Chester. In it, he describes how he
uses a rocket design software, called RockSim (http://www.rocksim.com)
to show students the process of engineering design.
In this article, I'd like
to give you some other ideas on how to use the model
rocket design software to demonstrate other basic science
concepts. Here are some benefits to using RockSim
software:
1. Allows the student to
simulate hundreds of rocket flights very quickly -- this
saves lots of money! Just think of the time saved too. You
don't have to spend hundreds of dollar buying motors and
hours-and-hours of time building different configurations,
launching, recovering, and repacking rockets to test one
control feature.
2. Safety. When you go out
to fly rockets, knowing how they'll behave is an important
aspect of safety. Precautions can be made. By running the
simulations, the students learn what concepts contribute
to keeping the actual launch safe.
3. The scientific value is
awesome. Each launch simulation generates a mountain of
useful data. Analyzing this data is a fantastic way to
teach the scientific method.
4. Students love software
because it is fun! It has features like a video game, so
the students may not realize how much they are learning at
the same time.
5. The RockSim software is
the same tool that is used by real rocketry professionals
- like NASA, military contractors, and universities. So
you can feel confident in the results you get back from
the program.
6. The software allows
students to explore their creativity. They can design
vastly different looking models, while learning
engineering skills, assembly steps, and physics.
Here are just some of the
many topics you can explore with RockSim:
1. Aerodynamics and drag
reduction.
2. Forces of flight: Lift,
Drag, Thrust, and Gravity.
3. Projectile motion.
4. Rocket propulsion as
used for space travel.
5. Atmospheric studies: how
does temperature and pressure affect performance?
6. Planetary differences:
how does the same rocket perform on different planets in
our solar system.
7. Dynamics and harmonic
motion with damping.
8. Engineering - how parts
fit together.
9. Newton's Laws of motion.
10. Artistic expression –
because every student can design a different looking
rocket, and change colors of the components to further
increase the rocket's uniqueness.
11. Explaining distance,
velocity, and acceleration.
12. Material properties,
like density and volume.
13. The importance of
weight and balance (CG position) when designing rockets.
14. Explaining that Work =
Force X Distance.
15. Explaining the concepts
of Kinetic and Potential Energy.
16. Showing free-fall, and
terminal velocity.
17. The importance of units
and unit conversion.
18. The importance of
following directions.
19. Exporting data and
using spreadsheet programs to perform data reduction and
manipulation
20. To show why multi-stage
and cluster motor rockets are used in real rockets.
21. Concept of stored
chemical energy (in the rocket propellant) and how it is
converted to mechanical energy.
22. Concept of efficiency -
getting the most performance from the least exertion of
energy. Can be explained by the different types of
propellant formulations.
23. Showing the concept of
momentum and how it affects the optimum mass of the
rocket.
24. Finding the optimal
launch angle for breezy conditions.
25. Optimal launch angle
for distance (ballistic curves), and how it varies with
the thrust curve of the motor.
26. Show how the
distribution of mass affects the dynamic stability of the
rocket.
27. Demonstrating the
concept of "Numeric Precision" -- the more
iterations performed, the better the accuracy.
28. Show how different
shaped components affects the static stability of the
rocket.
29. Compare the thrust
curves of different motors. This can show how different
geometries (hole size, location, dimensions) affect the
thrust produced by the rocket.
30. Concept of
"Impulse:" which is a thrust force multiplied by
the time duration that thrust is created. The higher the
impulse, the more power the motor has.
As you can see, the RockSim
software is a versatile tool. You'll save hundreds of
dollars because it can be used in a variety of ways.
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About
The Author
Tim
Van Milligan (B.S. Aeronautical
Engineering) writes articles about model
rocketry for the e-zine newsletter called:
"Peak-of-Flight." He is also the
author of the book: "Model Rocket
Design and Construction," which can
be found on his web site: http://www.ApogeeRockets.com. |
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