Devin Osman

Springer & Lloyd

Physics

30 November 2023

Cover Letter

The rocket project was a project for sophomore year where students created their own

gorgeous space shuttle out of soda bottles and used their quadratic equations to properly estimate

all the calculations for the spacecraft’s rise and fall. Our main objective was to use the quadratic

formula, vectors, Newton’s three laws of physics, the Engineering-design process, along with

forces and the most important concepts of kinematics, such as velocity, acceleration, mass, and

weight to correctly create a rocket that can properly fly, reach a relatively tall maximum high,

then deploy a parachute, and after a controlled descent land with either no or a minor amount of

damage.We then used the Engineering-design process. Which was to ask, research, imagine,

plan, create, test and improve. A major way our rocket was improved by the EDP process was

through the mass amounts of tests, where we could process any error that happened and fix it

completely.

Forces and functions

. Although my partner, El Moore and I had to properly understand the laws of physics and the

magic of forces and science, we also had to calculate how and why our aquatic spacecraft

worked the way it did. This could be explained through the quadratic formula and function. The

proper definition for the function is one of the form f(x)=ax²+bx+c where A, B, and C are

numbers that aren't equal to 0. It correlates with projectile motion because both the quadratic

function and projectile motion follow a parabola. In both functions, height against time. The
position or main point of the rocket, or the position was incredibly important due to the fact that

it was the a point and is the rocket’s height and given time. However we also had to calculate the

velocity and acceleration of our rocket during its flight.

The conception for velocity is slope of the curve given the point. Acceleration somewhat goes

hand in hand with this as well, being the change in velocity, or the change in the slope and it can

be seen in graphs as the curve of the parabola.

Velocity is the rate at which an object changes location with a direction associated with over

time. Acceleration is the change of velocity over time. Velocity is related Acceleration because

acceleration is defined as the change in velocity. Acceleration is related to force, because F=MA,

the most common type of force are G’s (not G-forces) G’s is the gravitational acceleration which

is equal to 9.75 meters per second squared. It’s constant, and produced from the force of gravity

and always pulls down. The results of velocity, acceleration, and G’s can be altered based on the

frame of reference, the frame of reference is the point of view of the situation and scientific

method. For example, tossing a ball in the air while riding a train looks different to the person

tossing the ball on the train, compared to someone standing at the station.

Newton’s first law of motion

Newton's first law states that every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a

straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force. This

definition is also called inertia. The inertia of an object is to stay at rest if any net force on the

object is a zero, when they are at zero it creates an inertia of rest, also known as an equilibrium.

However, there is the case of a normal force, which is a perpendicular force pulling or pushing

on an object. If there is a change in inertia, then the normal force also changes.

Newton’s second law of motion

other words, an object’s acceleration is dependent on the amount of force that is applied to it.

Along with its mass which affects the acceleration, it is inversely proportional to each other,

meaning that the more mass, the less acceleration. The amount of force can be measured in

newtons, which is the SI unit of force. Another force is drag, which acts as a vector because it

has both magnitude and direction, this magnitude can be increased or decreased by friction,

which is caused by mass, mass causes more friction, and friction causes more drag. Mass is

different from weight though, mass is the measurement of how much matter is within an object,

while weight is the measurement of how gravitational force affects the object.

Newton’s third law of motion

Finally, Newton’s third law in physics states that every action has an equal and opposite

reaction. The two main bodies, (the earth and everything on it, and the rocket) are pushing

against each other while the rocket gains pressure. When the pressure is released, the forces push

against the earth and the rocket in equal but opposite directions. Then since the mass of the earth

is so huge, there is no observable acceleration down, on the other hand, we see the mass of the

rocket is small so we see its acceleration upwards.