Welcome to Rocket Research 103

"Kind of a Drag" - WATER ROCKET DRAG

3. The Fins

In Rocket Research 102, you learned that fins are needed to stabilize the rocket.

If you experimented with the Wright 1901 Wind Tunnel, you know that flat plates, with their thin edges facing into the wind, have little drag. However, increasing the thickness, the surface area, or the number of plates can create some serious drag.

Using the Simulator, experiment with different fin shapes, sizes, and quantities to determine which design gives the least resistance.

Go to Simulator

Reminder: When changing one variable (fins), keep all the other variables the same. Maintain the same air pressure, water level, nose cone, and fairing for all your fin experiments.

Use this chart as a guide, recording the altitude attained in each case:

Fin Style	Number of Fins	Size/Altitude
		1.
		2.
		1.
		2.
		1.
		2.
		1.
		2.
		1.
		2.
Other fin style		1.
		2.

Let's continue.