Flying Paper Rockets Propelled by Air
Materials
- Paper
- Clear Tape
- Straw
- Glue Stick
Tools
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Pencil
1. Cut a narrow strip of paper 5 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide. Roll the paper tightly around a fat pencil (greater diameter than the straw) to make a cylinder. Tape cylinder along the edge.
2. Cut about ½ inch of the tip
3. Using the sharpened point of the pencil as a guide, squeeze the tip together making a point and use tape it to seal it.
4. Remove from pencil. Gently blow into the cylinder to see if there are any leaks.
5. Cut two sets of tail fins and use glue to the base of the rocket cylinder.
To fly: slip the straw into the rocket’s opening. Point the rocket in a safe direction and blow sharply through the straw. Be careful not to aim the rocket any anyone.
Experiment: the paper rockets can show how real rockets fly through the atmosphere and the importance of the fins. Try building a rocket with no fins. Build another rocket and attach the fins to the front. Try making a rocket with wings. How do the flights of the different rockets compare?