experiment:
Today we did a lab on rocket motors but first we learned about the periodic table and how to read parts of it. During the lesson on the periodic table I kept up and found myself paying attention because I was interested. Sometimes I get a little bored when learning straight chemistry but once I understand the concept I normally find interest. We learned that the periodic table is arranged in a certain way so you can read it; like how many protons, neutrons and electrons there are. A more complicated part was learning how many electrons an atom needs or how many it will give away. Depending on what row it is in, it indicates the shell or energy level. Then the columns indicate the number of electrons in the shell. We also learned how to put different elements together and which ones need what and which ones give away. We also learned that fire is the most important reaction to mankind, we wouldn't have majority of our things without it. It is when a fuel is oxidized and creates a combustion; fire. Combustions have been useful for things like electricity and cooking and in our cars. | |
When it comes to rockets, a combustion is very important, it is when oxygen combines with an element. Our rocket motors were made of 65% potassium nitrate and 35% sugar. The Combination of these two are good,the 65% is the oxygen and the 35% is the fuel to the rocket. We were making chemical energy to mechanical energy. The potassium nitrate acts as the oxidizer, the sugar is carbon/hydrates and needs the oxygen for bonding to create a combustion. First we melted the potassium nitrate with the sugar and it became a liquid syrup, which started out as a powdered material. Then when it was melted we poured it into our cartridges which was a PCP pipe. After the melted substance was poured we then topped it off with cement. The cement expands while it is in the cartridge and it has a crystal kind of structure. Then we signed off our names, the next day after it was dry we went outside and lit a fuse on our cartridges. They all worked pretty well and my groups was successful, it made a loud pop and then smoked for a little while (less than a minute). Even though I don't really have any specific interests in rockets, this experiment was interactive and fun because of the end product and watching our work be successful. It was very cool and I learned a lot on the periodic table which was great. To the side are images of the cartridge in process and then the combustion at the end.