Launching Soda Bottle Rockets using
Hydrogen + Oxygen
Steve Sogo
Laguna Beach High School

Photo of hydrogenpowered soda bottle rocket in flight
Photo credit = Cameron
Zuziak, LBHS class of 2014

Electronic Ignition
• Students make electronic fuses from aluminum foil—this allows for safe, reliable ignition. http://youtu.be/mRMyMwntb8c

Synopsis of Student Tasks
1. Balance equation for combustion of H
2
2 H
2
(g) + O
2
(g)  2 H
2
O (g)
2. Measure volume of bottle (they aren’t precisely 2.00-liters!)
3. Use mole ratios to determine volumes of H fill the bottle
2 and O
2 needed to
4. Use ideal gas law to determine moles of gases needed

Synopsis of Student Tasks (part 2)
5. Stoichiometry for generating O
2
(g) a) Balance equation for decomposition of H
2
O
2 b) Determine mass of H
2
O
2 required c) Determine volume of 10% H
2
O
2 solution required
6. Graph energy profile for catalyzed and uncatalyzed decomposition reaction (given

H and E a values)
 H = -95 kJ/mol H
2
O
2

Synopsis of Student Tasks (part 3)
7. Stoichiometry for generating H
2
(g) a) Balance eqn for rxn of Ca with H
2
O b) Determine mass of Ca needed c) Determine volume of H
2
O needed d) Calculate kJ of heat produced in the reaction
8. Why use excess H
2
O?
9. How to compensate for oxidized calcium?
10. After launching, sketch energy profiles and explain why the rocket launches

The bottle makes a difference!
• Two outcomes are possible—a “rocket” that launches into the sky (soda bottle) or a
“bomb” that explodes impressively
(water/juice/milk bottle)

Time for a video!
This student-filmed video shows load and launch activities (done in a 90 minute class period) o http://youtu.be/rFakqDf-Bwc

Use of instructional videos
• Three instructional videos help students do the right things:
– Making fuses http://youtu.be/eaVyCz5Bqro
– Generating gases http://youtu.be/hyMHLUUH1Zg
– Launch pad procedures http://youtu.be/28zOejqRe6s

AACT will help distribute this lab
• The Rocket Lab was honored as a Grand Prize winner in the “Best Of” submissions to the
American Association of Chemistry Teachers.
• Student instruction pages and teacher notes will be provided through the AACT website

Address Questions To:
• Steve Sogo, Laguna Beach High School
• ssogo@ lbusd.org
• YouTube Channel = ACR92651