PROJECT: ROCKET CAR

PURPOSE:Create a real rocket on wheels using chemistry and physics. Generate a CHEMICAL REACTION that may propel your Rocket Car.

Demonstrate Newton’s first and third laws.

CHEMICAL REACTION:

A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another.

HYPOTESYS:How can I make my car run generating a chemical reaction?

What are newton’s first and third laws?

What are acids and bases?

What happens when an acid (vinegar) and a base (sodium bicarbonate) are mixed?

PARTS LIST:

HOW DOES IT WORK?A rocket is simply a chamber filled with pressurized gas. A small opening called a nozzle allows the air to escape, causing thrust that propels the rocket.

In this project will make a Rocket Car that is powered by pressurized gas.

The Rocket Car is one way to observe Newton's First and Third Laws of Motion. Because of individual variations in the Rocket Car, yours will travel different distances and often in unpredictable directions.

NEWTON'S LAWS OF MOTION:

• Newton's First Law

"Objects at rest will stay at rest and objects in motion will stay in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." In other words, the forces propelling the rocket car forward must be stronger than those trying to stop it.

• Newton's Third Law

"For every action there is always an opposite and equal reaction." When an action takes place, like gases escaping from a rocket, a reaction follows — in this case, the rocket car runs along the g round.

WHAT ARE ACIDS AND BASES?Every liquid you see will probably have either acidic or basic traits. Scientists use something called the pH scale to measure how acidic or basic a liquid is.

• What is an Acid?

An Acid is a solution that has an excess of Hydrogen ions. It comes from the Latin word "acidus" which means sharp or sour.

Vinegar is one type of acid solution.

• What is a Base?

A Base is a solution that has an excess of Hydroxide ions. Another word for base is alkali.

One example of this is Sodium Bicarbonate, or Baking Soda.

CITRIC ACID * WATER = CITRIC ACID SOLUTIONNOTE; Citric Acid Solution has an equivalent pH value of Vinegar.

INGREDIENTS TO PROPEL THE CAR:VINEGAR:

Vinegar is not a pure substance and so has no chemical formula. Vinegar is mainly water (H2O), but makes vinegar acidic (and gives it its smell) is acetic acid, which has formula CH3COOH. Vinegar is usually only about 4-8% acetic acid.

vinegar is a liquid produced by the fermentation of alcohol into acetic acid and other fermentation by-products. The acetic acid concentration ranges typically from 4 to 8 percent by volume for table vinegar (typically 5%) and higher concentrations for pickling (up to 18%) although in some countries the minimum strength may be less. Natural vinegars also contain smaller amounts of tartaric acid, citric acid, and other acids.

SODIUM BICARBONATE OR BAKING SODA:

Is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3

Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty, alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda (sodium carbonate). The natural mineral form is nahcolite. It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs. It is among the food additives encoded by European Union, identified by the initials E 500. Since it has long been known and is widely used, the salt has many related names such as baking soda, bread soda, cooking soda, and bicarbonate of soda.

CHEMICAL REACTION OF THE MIXTURE:CH3COOH + NaHCO3 --> NaCH3COO + H2CO3

Acetic acid (vinegar) + sodium bicarbonate yields sodium acetace and carbonic acid. Carbonic acid spontaneously decarboxylates (breaks down and spits off CO2) by:

H2CO3 --> H2O + CO2

More bicarb = more carbonic acid = more CO2.

PROCEDURE:STEP 1

Fill cup with Vinegar up to100ml fill line.

STEP 2

Place funnel over center tube of Rocket Car and pour in 10 grams of Baking Soda then remove funnel.

STEP 3

Hold launcher tube vertically and pour the Vinegar solution into the tube.

STEP 4

Insert launcher tube into Rocket Car over central tube and push

STEP 5

Shake the assembled Rocket Car vigorously to ensure mixture.

forward until all 3 latches click together.

STEP 6

Place assembled Rocket Car on ground.

STEP 7

Place foot on launcher base and wait 20 seconds. Then using other foot, step on launch button to release Rocket Car.

CONCLUSIONS:

The speed and distance your Rocket Car travels is a direct result of the power of the reaction between your Acid and Base fuel mixtures, which is a measurement of the strength of the Acids and Bases you experiment with! The stronger the Acids and Bases, the faster and farther your Rocket Car will go!

More pressure in the closed system will propels the Rocket Car farther and faster when the gas is released through the nozzle!

More bicarb = more carbonic acid = more CO2 =More power.