Stomp Rockets

What are stomp rockets: Stomp rockets are rockets that are connected to a bottle. When the bottle is stomped on the rocket goes up and flies away!

Stomp Rocket Supplies:

1. Pool noodle or PVC pipe (any type of pipe)

2. 2 Liter Bottle (soda bottle)

3. Paper

4. Tape 

5. Scissors

It's that easy!

Directions:

1. Connect the 2 liter bottle to the pipe via tape

2. Make sure the connection is airtight by wrapping tape around the connection

3. Use multiple pencils or a pipe and roll paper around it (create a cylinder)

4. Tape the paper to itself not the pipe and then carefully remove the pipe

5. Tape one side of the cylinder shut

6. Attach this cone to the top of your rocket cylinder with tape

Optional: Cut out fins in the shape of triangles and connect them to the rocket

Optional: Create a nose cone

1. Take another piece of paper and cut out a circle about 2 times the opening of your paper cylinder

2. Cut out a triangle from this circle such that you get a pie slice

3. Take the cut circle and roll it around it's center till you create a cone

How to Launch:

1. Take your rocket and place it into the pipe or pool noodle's opening

2. Stomp on the rocket and watch it fly!

Wonder: How does changing the amount and shape of the fins affect the rockets performance

Video Directions:

How Do Stomp Rockets Work:

A stomp rocket flies due to pressurized air. This means that when you stomp the rocket there is nowhere for the air inside the bottle to go. Due to the stomp the air wants to leave bottle and their only way to leave is through the pipe. The air goes through the pipe and then pushes the rocket up, allowing the air to escape.

Think of it like being in a giant crowd. Imagine you are a piece of air. When nobody stomps on a rocket there is a lot of space for the air and nobody is close to you. But when somebody stomps on the rocket all of the air molecules come closer together and a giant crowd forms. You don't want to be stuck in the crowd, so you try to leave immediately, and your only way out is the pipe.

How to Real Rockets Work:

Real rockets rely on the same concept. Real rockets use fuel to create hot gas. This gas is then pushed out really fast with the help of an engine. Then the rocket relies on Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This is why it hurts yourself when you high five your friends really hard! Your friend hits your hand, but the main force is when you high five your friends hand an equal force is sent back to you. Rockets use this by pushing air out of the rocket and in return the air will push the rocket forward with an equal and opposite force.