Water rockets are an excellent tool to learn about rockets,
propulsion, and aerodynamics.
The Beginner's Guide to Rockets introduces the physics
principles and math behind water rockets. The
activities were developed for middle school students (grades 5-8)
and align with National science, mathematics, and technology standards
for education. The materials are also appropriate for grades 9-12
and lifelong learners.
The navigation panel is found on the left and will
be in the same location on all pages.
About Rockets includes the history
of rocketry, information on the parts of a water rocket,
a comparison of a water rocket and a NASA rocket, and instructions
for building a water rocket launcher.
Start Your Journey includes
a hands-on experiment, a pre-test, and links to activities that
will help you understand Laws of Motion, thrust, acceleration,
stability, center of gravity, and drag.
Educator Section includes additional
materials for educators to use to reinforce and extend the concepts
presented in Rocket Research 101, 102, and 103.
Rocket Safety includes safety
guidelines you should follow before, during, and after the launch
of a water rocket.
The Simulators
There are three simulation programs available at this site:
a 1 dimensional simulation called BottleRocketSim,
a 2 dimensional simulation called RocketModeler II, and
a 3 dimensional simulation called WaterRocketSim.
Use the simulators to design and launch water rockets before you
build and launch the real thing!
Install the Simulator provides directions for
installing the Java runtime engine and Java 3D for the 3D simulation.
When you have reviewed the background material in
About Rockets, Start Your Journey!
CAUTION!
Please review Rocket Safety
before launching a water rocket.
Any comments, concerns, or questions should be addressed
to: