Physics-rocket activity continued.

Rocket activity continued
Click for definition of terms Maximum height of rocket = H + h Mass of rocket before firing = m_i Mass of rocket after fuel is exhausted = m_f Time from A to C (stopwatch) = t_AC Time from A to B = t_AB Time from B to C = t_BC Average drag from B to C = F_BC Vertical component of AB = x_AB Vertical component of BC = x_BC Distance between observers = D Sight angles of observers = X1 , X2 Speed of rocket at B = v_B Hide the terms A. Calculating an Estimate of x_AB
• Estimate the average acceleration between A and B Hint
• Estimate the speed at B
• Estimate x_AB Hint
B. Calculating an Estimate of x_BC
• If air resistance is (temporarily) ignored what is the net force on the rocket as it moves from B to C? Hint
Hide hint x_AB is calculated by the expression below. Average speed X time = distance Average speed is calculated using the expression below ( 0 + v_B) / 2 = average speed Hence the distance from A to B is given by the expression below. t_AB X average speed = distance • What is the acceleration of the rocket as it moves from B to C? Hide the hint
• Use the estimate of v_B obtained earlier to calculate a value of x_BC. Hint Hide the hint Note that for the motion from A to B speed increases from 0 to v_B , while for the motion from B to C the speed changes from v_B to 0
• Add x_AB and x_BC to obtain a value for the height reached by the rocket.
• Use your measurements of D, X1, X2 to determine a value for H.
Estimate h. How does your value for H + h compare with your value for x_AB + x_BC ? Why do you think they are different?
Continue

Click to hide hint

Force is calculated by the expression below.

Force = mass X acceleration.

Where mass is in kilograms and acceleration is in m/s.

Hence
acceleration = force / mass