Projects Page
Mapping Project
For this project we had to create a contour line map, also known as a topographic map. Throughout this project I learned about spacial awareness, contour lines, how hikers can use topographic maps to their advantage, and how to measure bearings and paces. During exhibition I enjoyed passing the knowledge I had gained in the field of mapping onto fellow community members. In the end it was a wonderful feeling to see our map, that my group and I had been working hard on for the past two weeks, hang on the wall during exhibition.
Methodology Behind the Map
Final Outcome
Rube Goldberg project
Rube Goldberg was an artist that drew contraptions that performed a very simple task in a very complex fashion, like a chain of events. Of course they were only drawings, until Franz Gsellmann made those drawings into reality by fashioning a contraption. Unfortunately he passed away before he could tell anyone the true purpose of his contraption. For this project we had to make our own Rube Goldberg. Ours specifically, made espresso. The requirements for this project were that our Rube had to be at least fifteen seconds long and have at least fifteen steps altogether. Ours had a total time of around thirty-two seconds and we had around twenty steps in all. We also had to create a sketch-up (a 3D model of our contraption) and do eight calculations (see below). During the exhibition at the Discovery Museum, our contraption worked two times in a row! It felt so good to finally see our contraption work after a tough two months working on it. This project was definitely one of the highlights of my first and second semester. I hope to do more projects like this soon!
Sketch-up
Calculations
Rocket Project
Rocket Log
Day 6, Entry 1: Day after 1st 1st test fire. Today we will prepare one of the fins, glue one of the fins, finish the rocket structure, and attach the parachute.
Day 7, Entry 2: Today we will test the rocket again. We have four fins on the rocket at the moment.
Day 8, Entry 3: Today we will attach fins and cone. Completing the rockets structure.
Day 9, Entry 4: We will test launch our rocket today. See if four fins work, or if we should take off two.
Day 10, Entry 5: We will make the new, smaller nose cone. We will take fins off until only two are left.
Day 11, Entry 6: We will finish our rocket body/parachute.
Day 12, Entry 7: We will record the mass of our rocket and then take it for a test launch.
Day 13, Entry 8: We will fix any errors in our rocket.
Day 14, Entry 8: We will prepare for exhibition.
Day 6, Entry 1: Day after 1st 1st test fire. Today we will prepare one of the fins, glue one of the fins, finish the rocket structure, and attach the parachute.
Day 7, Entry 2: Today we will test the rocket again. We have four fins on the rocket at the moment.
Day 8, Entry 3: Today we will attach fins and cone. Completing the rockets structure.
Day 9, Entry 4: We will test launch our rocket today. See if four fins work, or if we should take off two.
Day 10, Entry 5: We will make the new, smaller nose cone. We will take fins off until only two are left.
Day 11, Entry 6: We will finish our rocket body/parachute.
Day 12, Entry 7: We will record the mass of our rocket and then take it for a test launch.
Day 13, Entry 8: We will fix any errors in our rocket.
Day 14, Entry 8: We will prepare for exhibition.
Data table: Rocket specs and flight information.
Rocket Reflection
My team and I watch our rocket blast into the air. A ribbon of water following for a short distance, but only a little bit before gravity claims the water as its own. I was expecting the rocket to fly straight for longer than it did, but instead it went off at an angle shortly after it took off. My team was disappointed because we were hoping our rocket would fly straighter, but it didn't. However, later we learned that we actually flew off the charts from last year which made me feel better about our rocket. That news was surprising though. Overall, I feel that exhibition went well for my group, however if our rocket flew straighter it would've made it that much better!
After our exhibition experience I would definitely go back and make a better cone. At the time of our launch our cone was a little crooked. Our cone was really short, which caused it to not stick onto the rocket as well as a bigger cone would. Our cone came off rather quickly and caused our rocket to not have the best results. This caused great stress among my team and I feel that it affected our performance. Overall, going back would've helped us in the end by giving us a new perspective on the project. After all we do learn from our mistakes.
My team and I watch our rocket blast into the air. A ribbon of water following for a short distance, but only a little bit before gravity claims the water as its own. I was expecting the rocket to fly straight for longer than it did, but instead it went off at an angle shortly after it took off. My team was disappointed because we were hoping our rocket would fly straighter, but it didn't. However, later we learned that we actually flew off the charts from last year which made me feel better about our rocket. That news was surprising though. Overall, I feel that exhibition went well for my group, however if our rocket flew straighter it would've made it that much better!
After our exhibition experience I would definitely go back and make a better cone. At the time of our launch our cone was a little crooked. Our cone was really short, which caused it to not stick onto the rocket as well as a bigger cone would. Our cone came off rather quickly and caused our rocket to not have the best results. This caused great stress among my team and I feel that it affected our performance. Overall, going back would've helped us in the end by giving us a new perspective on the project. After all we do learn from our mistakes.
Conclusion
174 ft. away from the launch pad, the data team sits, recording data from the launching rockets. This is where the process of recording your data begins. When I know the angle at which my rocket flew (74º) I can plug it into the Max Height formula which is,
53tan(74º)= ______m. This really takes our rocket launch and turns it into a mathematical problem where we find the missing side of a triangle. After plugging my angle into the formula I came up with the fact that my rocket flew 185.014 meters into the air for approximately 4.33 seconds before it crashed to the ground. The next step is to find the hang time. To find the hang time (the amount of time that the rocket flew in the air) use this formula, t=√(max ht/0.5a). This gives us the amount of time that the rocket went down but we also need to double it to account for the trip up. The next step is to fine the percent error. To find the percent error (The approximation error in some data is the discrepancy between an exact value and some approximation to it) you plug it into the equation, (Percent Error: (Actual-Theoretical/Theoretical)/Theoretical x 100 = %). My percent error was 65%. My percent error was higher because my parachute did not deploy which caused my rocket to not slow down which would've given it a smaller percent error. Overall, the data collecting is a very important process, especially for the rocket project.
174 ft. away from the launch pad, the data team sits, recording data from the launching rockets. This is where the process of recording your data begins. When I know the angle at which my rocket flew (74º) I can plug it into the Max Height formula which is,
53tan(74º)= ______m. This really takes our rocket launch and turns it into a mathematical problem where we find the missing side of a triangle. After plugging my angle into the formula I came up with the fact that my rocket flew 185.014 meters into the air for approximately 4.33 seconds before it crashed to the ground. The next step is to find the hang time. To find the hang time (the amount of time that the rocket flew in the air) use this formula, t=√(max ht/0.5a). This gives us the amount of time that the rocket went down but we also need to double it to account for the trip up. The next step is to fine the percent error. To find the percent error (The approximation error in some data is the discrepancy between an exact value and some approximation to it) you plug it into the equation, (Percent Error: (Actual-Theoretical/Theoretical)/Theoretical x 100 = %). My percent error was 65%. My percent error was higher because my parachute did not deploy which caused my rocket to not slow down which would've given it a smaller percent error. Overall, the data collecting is a very important process, especially for the rocket project.