International Baccalaureate Physics
4/PSOW
Design an Experiment for a Pneumatic Rocket
Aim:
A short blast of air from our school’s pneumatic “stomp” rocket launcher can be used to propel a small
paper rocket into the air. You recently built your own rocket and saw how it could be launched with
different variables. Based on what you learned making your rocket, and while observing several
rockets being launched, you will design a lab that can be performed using our school’s rocket launcher
and any other simple equipment found in a normal physics classroom.
Apparatus:
 Pneumatic “stomp” rocket launcher made of PVC pipe and a 2 Liter soda bottle
 Paper rocket of your own construction*
 Any other equipment needed that can be found in a normal physics
classroom.
Compress rapidly!
(by stomping, for example)
2 L soda
bottle
Your mission
It is 1915, and you are a scientist from your favourite country. At this time, no one really knows much
of anything about rockets. Your government realizes the potential importance of rocketry, and asks
scientists to submit a research proposal related to investigating rockets. The government does not just
want to know how to make a rocket go far. They want to understand all aspects of rocketry. You are
to submit a research proposal to investigate one variable and how it affects one other variable. The
best proposals will be awarded funding and the research will be carried out.
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 2 L soda bottle that is rapidly compressed.. This procedure
should include a means of…..
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Defining the Problem and selecting variables:
Controlling the Variables:
A hypothesis (with sketch graph) of how your independent and dependent variables relate
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.
The above information was given to the student by the instructor. What follows immediately
below is the student’s own work.