| | Category | EA | P09 | Rocket Science: The Wings to Fly |
| | Abstract | This science fair project explores the study of rocket wing |
| | aerodynamics. It involved comparing twelve different wing shapes and |
| | sizes to see which would create the least amount of drag. This would |
| | indicate which type of wing would fly the best because of its ability to cut |
| | through the wind. The hypothesis was, if the rocket’s wings are large and |
| | rounded, then they will have the least amount of drag. The variable in this |
| | project was wing size and shape. The control was a wingless rocket. |
| | Each rocket had three wings and was tested using a homemade milk |
| | carton wind tunnel. In total, thirty-six wings were constructed and used in |
| | this project. Twelve of the wings were triangle shaped, another twelve |
| | were four-sided, and the last twelve were rounded. Each set of shapes |
| | had various wing sizes labeled A, B, C, or D, noting largest to smallest. |
| | The rockets were tested keeping the wing speed constant. The amount of |
| | drag was calculated using the equation: drag= (tanx°)(9.81)(mass in kg). |
| | After running six trials for every wing shape and size, the hypothesis was |
| | disproven and unsupported by the data. In fact, the size D triangle wing |
| | created the smallest amount of drag. This project is a useful discovery in |
| | the field of aerodynamics because if small-scale triangle wings fly the |
| | best, rocket scientists should be able to incorporate them into newer |
| | designs of rockets, proving to make them more efficient. The concept may |
| | even be applied to airplanes, though the design would have to face slight |
| | modifications. |
| | Bibliography | Benson, T. (2010, August 10). The Drag Equation. National Aeronautics |
| | and Space Administration. Retrieved August 26, 2010, from |
| | http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12 /airplane/drageq.html> |
| | |
| | Jones, Larry. (2009, June 27). Physics Information. Journey into Science. |
| | Retrieved July 9, 2010, from |
| | http://www.sciencebyjones.com/physics_definitions.htm> |
| | |
| | Lanese, Tina. (2007, March 21). Rocket Aerodynamics. Science Buddies. |
| | Retrieved July 8, 2010, from http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair- |
| | projects/project_ideas/Aero_p002. shtml> |
| | |
| | Scott, Jeff. (2003, November 23). Rocket Nose Cones and Altitude. |
| | Aerospaceweb.org. Retrieved August 12, 2010, from |
| | http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics /q0151.shtml> |