Hgeocities.com/fcarringtn/GrantRocketDay-2-2001.htmlgeocities.com/fcarringtn/GrantRocketDay-2-2001.htmlelayedxJ਍UOKtext/htmlogUb.HTue, 30 Oct 2001 00:47:46 GMTMozilla/4.5 (compatible; HTTrack 3.0x; Windows 98)en, *JU GrantRocketDay-2-2001
U. S. GRANT HIGH SCHOOL
Van Nuys, California
ROCKET DAY 2001
Tuesday, October 23
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Below you see our #1 team on the left and our #3 team on the right.preparing to launch.  One of the critical parts of the whole apparatus is the release mechanism.  Air that is pumped into the soda bottle must not bet released too soon.  Most of the launchers place  a stopper in the bottle (it is usually attached to the launcher) with either a bicycle tire valve or needle running through it.  The air is pumped into the botlle through the stopper or needle and not allowed to release until a desired pressure is reached.  This is accomplished with a release mechanism that clamps down on the neck of the bottle and/or keeps the stopper from coming out.  Most of the mechanisms release via a string which causes the stopper  to release and hence launch the rocket.
Luis Ponce (background), Alex Salazar ande Amrik Ajimal
Stan Tolesnikov, Neda Davarinejad (behind Stan the pumper) and Todd Christensen
To the right you see a rocket just taking off its launcher.  The spray is quite a site to behold and it really gets the kids wet.  I am very thankful that we are launching in Southern California where the weather is still warm in October.  Notice the guides on the launcher. They give the  rocket more accuracy as it is guided on its initial  path.  As long as there is water coming out of a rocket it is still accelerating and hence a bit tricky to control.
LINKS TO OTHER SITES:
PAGE 1
ROCKET DAY 2001
DERF'S PLACE
ROCKET DAY 2000
Each class is lined up on the goal line of the school's football field,.as you can see in the picture to the right.  They must fire at two targets with one being on the other side of the field down about 80 yards.  You can see the group to the right angling their launcher for a cross-field shot.  Note  the line of rockets on the ground just behind the launcher.  The better teams got off over 10 rockets in each 15-minute period.  The students take this competition very seiously as there  is a lot of presitige, as well as prizes, in this year's competition.  Each 1st place winner got a $20 dollar gift certificate to Banrnes and Noble, while each 2nd place winner got one for $15 and each 3rd place person got one for $10.  I might add that they deserve every prize they got.

If you are a physics or physical science teacher and this project looks appealing to you, just drop me a line at the email address given below.  I certainly recommend it for any class.
Kit Theeraprawat, Ronny Breslavsky (to his right) and Artin Avetisove (not shown)
Hovsep Gazazyan , Gevork Danielian, & Mathew Lipton-Schwartz (not in picture)
Contact:
Name:
Fred "Derf" Carrington
Email: fcarringtnf@aol.com