Name ___________________
Per______
Balloon Racers!
Problem: Applying Newton’s law of motion, how can you design, build, and test a racer that
will travel a minimum of one meter?
Materials
Styrofoam tray
Balloon
2 Straws
Tape
1 Meter stick (100 cm)
1 BBQ wooden skewer
2 Index cards (4”x 6”)
Scissors
Wheel/hubcap template sheet
“How To Build A Rocket Car” sheet* (see attached page)
Procedure
1. Have your group agree on a rectangular design. (The body (“chassis”) has a width 8
cm and a length no longer than 16cm)
2. Follow the directions on the “How To Build A Rocket Car” sheet.
3. Have different people in your group cut parts for the racer. (body, wheels, straw,
skewer)
4. Find the center of the wheels using the templates.
5. Test the racer on your table and make adjustments.
6. Find the mass (in grams) of your completed vehicle. Use a triple beam balance!
7. Color your racer using markers (if there is time).
8. Answer the following questions.
Diagram-Picture of Set—up: In the box below, draw a quick sketch of the set-up described in the
“Procedure”. Remember to use labels when appropriate.
Hypothesis
1. Do you think your design will be successful? Why or why not? How far do you think
it will go?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Name ___________________
Per______
Balloon Racers!
Data:
below.
Record the mass of your vehicle and the distance your racer traveled in the chart
1. Mass of our vehicle = _________________grams
2. Record how the racer traveled (in cm)
TRIAL
Trial #1
Trial #2
Trial #3
Trial #4
Distance in (cm)
Analysis of Result:
1. What type of force (push or pull) was used to move your vehicle? Explain.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. What type of energy moved the vehicle? Explain.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. When did your vehicle have 100% potential energy?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. What forces caused the vehicle to slow down and/or stop?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. If your vehicle had more mass, what would you need to do to keep the acceleration the
same?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. What is the action/reaction (a force pair) that cause the vehicle to move?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Name ___________________
Per______
Balloon Racers!
Conclusion
1. What about your design worked well?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. What about your design did not work well?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. If you were to make a new racer what changes to the design would you make given the
same materials?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Lab Report: Balloon Racers - Applying the Three Laws of
Motion
Teacher Name: Ms.
Barlos
Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY
2
1
Drawings/Diagrams
Clear, accurate diagrams are Diagrams are not included
included and make the
and/or labeled neatly and
experiment easier to
accurately.
understand. Diagrams are
labeled neatly and
accurately.
Hypothesis
Hypothesis is clearly stated
Hypothesis is missing
and shows that the student
incomplete.
based it upon research of
the topic.
Data
Data table is completed and
mass of vehicle is recorded.
Data table is incomplete
and/or mass of vehicle is
not recorded.
Analysis
All six questions have
complete, accurate answers
with clear explanation.
Answers were not accurate
or complete.
Conclusion
All three questions have
complete answers that
demonstrate reflection on
hypothesis.
Answers were not complete
and/or did not demonstrate
reflection on hypothesis.