Rocket Project Lab Report

By
Ms. Sasanun Duangpatra
Ms. Rinrada Chaovalit
Mr. Kittanan Chantawararak
Ms. Sirikorn Detchanun

General Chemistry
Section 1107
Mahidol University International Demonstration School
 This experiment aims to find the right amount of baking soda and vinegar
for the rocket to go for 20 meter. First we design the rocket, we analyse and find
the best plastic bottle that is light and streamlined. We have come up with using 2
pepsi bottle cut in half and put it together then we will the launcher that can adjust
the angle because angel is also the big factor that will help where the rocket will
land. Our hypothesis is that If we put baking soda more than vinegar then more
baking soda will make rocket go further. We have notice that we have to find the
moles of vinegar, baking soda, and carbon dioxide by calculating gram divided by
molar mass in order to calculate the distance that the rocket will go. After some test
in the open field, we have met some problem during the test. The rocket bottom is
leaking. We have to find cork that exactly fit the bottom because only little leak
will not make the rocket go. However, if we close the bottom too tight, the rocket
will not go too also when we but the baking soda in, we have to close it as quick as
possible because the reaction is happen very fast. After the first test we found that
wind have effect the rocket. The wind will change the direction of the rocket in
mid air and also the fin of rocket affect the way rocket travel in mid air too. In the
second test, we have change the position of the base as the the blow to which
direction. After many test we found out that the best amount of baking soda and
vinegar that will make rocket go for 20 meter is 250 ml of vinegar and 25 gram of
baking soda. When the two ingredients are mixed, hydrogen ions ( H+) from the
vinegar react with the bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) from the baking soda will form a
new chemical called carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic acid will be use as an
engine of rocket.
 Chemical reaction is a process when two or more chemicals molecule or
atom called reactant interact with each other and produces one or more new
chemical substance/compound called product.The atom rearrange to form an
entirely new substance/compound. (Paul, 2016) Chemical reaction happens inside
your body every movement every day. For example, when you eat foods and foods
are digest that is one kind of chemical reaction. Chemical reaction also can be seen
in our daily life. There are many activities that relate with chemical reaction.
(Wood, n.d.). For example, burning fuels, build a battery, making glass, smelting
iron and launching the rocket. This experiment will focus on the rocket propulsion.
In our real life, NASAs Space Launch System, in order to launch the rocket, fuel
and oxidized need to combined to produce gas to creating thrust and lifting the
rocket for propulsion of the rocket (Perry, 2016). But in this experiment we will
use vinegar and baking soda to boost a launch of the rocket. In chemical reaction,
known as acid-base reaction, when an acid reacts with base, it liberates carbon
dioxide gas. Sodium bicarbonate which known as baking soda is a weak base and
the vinegar known as acetic acid is a acid. The reaction releases gas because when
baking soda takes proton which are hydrogen atom from vinegar, it changes to be
water and carbon dioxide. Acetate ion will combine with sodium ion and form salt.
But there is no atom/molecule for Carbon dioxide to bond with. Therefore, Carbon
dioxide will release out from this chemical reaction in form of gas (Bennett, 2015).

This experiment can be written in chemical equation below :

CH3CO2H + NaHCO3 = H2O + CO2 + CH3COONa
According the chemical equation above, shows that every times we mix
vinegar (dilute acetic acid, CH3CO2H) with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate,
NaHCO3) will yield water (H2O) , carbon dioxide (CO2) and sodium acetate
(CH3COONa). Therefore, The reactants of this experiment are sodium
bicarbonates (vinegar) react with dilute acetic acid ( baking soda). The product is
Water, Carbon dioxide and sodium acetate.
 Chemical Structure of vinegar Chemical Structure of baking soda

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the correct ratio of baking

soda to vinegar that will result in a launch of the rocket in 20-meter distance. To
calculate mole of each reactants which are baking soda and vinegar. To calculate
mole of the products which is carbon dioxide. To learn chemical reaction between
baking soda and vinegar in order to launch the rocket. Lastly is to identify the
limiting reagent of chemical reaction.
1. To determine the correct ratio of baking soda to vinegar that will result in a
launch of the rocket in 20-meter distance.
2. To calculate mole of each reactants which are baking soda and vinegar.
3. To calculate mole and gram of the products which is carbon dioxide.
4. To learn chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar in order to
launch the rocket.
5. To identify the limiting reagent of chemical reaction.
 Materials and Methods

Materials

- four 1.45 ml plastic bottles (for try out rocket 2 bottles and the real one 2
bottles)

- The try out rocket

- The real rocket

- PVC pipes
- baking soda

- vinegar
- Plywood

- spray paints

- sticky tapes
- tissue papers

- gloves
- scissors

- cutter knife
- lab coat

- safety goggle
 - poster colours

- paper cone

-Hinge
-nail

-corks

-PVC pipe cutter

-drill

-glue gun
1. Prepare all the materials for making rocket and base.
2. Start with making the base for the rocket.
3. Make the base from PVC and also make the stand that will help keep the
base stay at the same place while launching.

4. Use screwdriver or electric screwdriver to screw the base with a wood plate
that will keep the base stay at the same place when launching.
5. Make the stand that will keep the launcher not move by using PVC pipe and
glue gun.

6. Spray the base and the stand with spray painting can.
7. Build the try out rocket one so if anything happen, it just the try out one.

8. Make he try out rocket from 2 plastic bottle size 1.45L.

9. Cut 2 bottles in half by cutter knife.

 10.Stick the bottle together by using a tape.

11.Put some clay on the top of rocket for ballast.

 12. Make the top of rocket from water cup cone.

13.Use tape to stick the water cup cone with the rocket
 14.Weight the rocket.

15.Weight the baking soda and measure the vinegar

16.Put the vinegar in the bottle then wrap the baking soda in tissue paper.

17.Slowly put the baking soda in and close with cork very tight and flip it.

18.Try the rocket for couple times with different amount of baking soda and
vinegar and record the result.
19.Compare the result and bring the result then estimate the amount that can
make the rocket go 20 meter.
20.Try the rocket again to make sure that their is no mistake.
21.Build the real rocket that is going to use to show in launching day that
exactly same size as the try out one in order to get the same result.

22.Paint the rocket with acrylic colour for decoration.

23.Put some glitter on the rocket and decorate the rocket with decoration stuff.

24.Try the rocket for the first time with teacher

25.Collect all the data from the first try out, if the rocket still not go on the
target determine the result and figure the solution for the problem.
26.Fix the problem that happen with the rocket and problem that does not come
from the rocket.

27. Try the rocket for the second time, if still have problem try to fix the
problem as fast as possible
28. Repair the rocket because every time the rocket fall down and launch, the
rocket will become weaker and may broken
29. Try the rocket for the final time.
Chemical Equation: CH3CO2H + NaHCO3 = H2O + CO2 + CH3COONa

Vinegar Baking Soda Gas (CO2) Angle Distance Hit

Trai the
l# Volume Mw mol Mass Mw mol mol Mw g target
(mL) (g) (g) (g)

1 250 60.05 0.2075 25 80.01 0.2975 0. 2075 44.01 9.132 35 21-22 0

2 240 60.05 0.1992 24 80.01 0.2857 0.1992 44.01 8.767 45 0 0

3 240 60.05 0.1992 24 80.01 0.2857 0.1992 44.01 8.767 45 0 0

According to the data table above, the results of our rocket project, we found
that the first time that we launched the rocket is the best performance of over all
which is when a mass of the rocket is equal to 93g, the vinegar is 250 mL, baking
soda is 25g, and the angle of use propulsion is 35 degrees. This weight of rocket,
this angle of launch and this ratio of the chemical can give the longest and the most
accurate distance which is 21-22 meters. However, the rocket was landing out of
the target due to the wind, but it can give the best distance in general. In second
and third trials, by using 240 mL or vinegar combined with 24 gram of baking soda
with angle propulsion is 45 degree and same weight of rocket as the first trial can
give the distance in 0 meters. The reason is because the middle of the rocket was
leaked, therefore the gas that produced after the reaction of chemicals are leaked
out as the same time. Therefore, the rocket can not get enough pressure to launch.
Overall, this experiment can not exactly tell which is the best angle to launch the
rocket, the amount of vinegar and baking soda to use. But we conclude that the
first trials is the best performance.
 This experiment can be written down in the equation below

CH3COOH (aq) + NaHCO3 (aq) CO2 (g) + H2O (l) + CH3COONa (aq)

The chemical equation above shows that when vinegar (CH3COOH) reacts
with baking soda (NaHCO3). Carbon dioxide, water and sodium acetate will be
produce. The starting materials or reactants are sodium carbonate and acetic acid.
The products are carbon dioxide, water, and sodium acetate.
In this experiment, the best performance was when we combined 250 ml of
vinegar with 25 gram of baking soda.

Vinegar : CH3COOH
Molar mass = 2(12.01)+4(1.008)+2(16.00) = 60.05 gram
5% 5 grams CH3COOH 100 millilitre H2O
Mole = gram / molar mass = 5/60.05 = 0.083 mol

5% CH3COOH with 100 ml 0.083 mol

5% CH3COOH with 250 ml (0.083*250)/100 = 0.2075 mol

Baking Soda : NaHCO3

Molar mass = 1(22.99)+1(1.008)+1(12.01)+3(16.00) = 84.01 gram
Mole = gram / molar mass = 25/84.01 = 0.2975 mol

According to the calculation above, after we calculated the mole of each

reactant we found that vinegar is limiting reagent and baking soda is excess
reagent. Therefore, the amount of Carbon dioxide will be produce equal to 0.2075
mol.
1 mol of CH3COOH 1 mol of CO2
0.2075 mol of CH3COOH 0.2075 mol of CO2
 1 mol of CO2 1(12.01) + 2(16.00) = 44.01 gram
0.2075 mol of CO2 (0.2075 * 44.01)/1 = 9.132 gram

Therefore, combining 250 ml of vinegar with 25 gram of baking soda can produce
Carbon dioxide 9.132 gram.

First of all, we find the moles of vinegar and baking soda to find the limiting
reagent by calculating gram divided by molar mass. Secondly, after we know
limiting reagent and mole of it, we compare its mol with mol of the product.
Lastly, we calculate the mass (in gram) of product which is carbon dioxide by
convert mol of carbon dioxide into gram by times molecular weight with mol of
carbon dioxide.

The error of this experiment were the amount of carbon dioxide gas that
produced is too much because we added too much amount of vinegar and baking
soda into the rocket, which results in the rocket went exceed the target. The cap is
also not fit enough, it was a bit loose so the chemical and the gas that produced
after chemical reaction are a bit leak out that effect to results of launching the
rocket. The distance that we get might not accurate with the amount of chemical.
The middle of the bottle is also leak as happened in the trial 2 and 3 that made all
of the gas that produced after the reaction of chemicals are leaked out as the same
time. Therefore, the rocket can not get enough pressure to launch.

For the future improvement, if this experiment will be done again, the
amount of baking soda and vinegar that add into the rocket will be reduced to
prevent the carbon dioxide gas producing too much. So that the rocket will not go
exceed the target. The cap that use to close the bottle will be bigger so that it will
be fitter for the bottle to prevent the chemical and gas leak out. Moreover, the
middle of bottle will be taped by the tape tighter to prevent leaking out of chemical
and gas.
 In conclusion, the best distance of this experiment which equal to 21-22 meters
is when combining 25 gram of baking soda with 250 ml of vinegar which is the
limiting reagent of the chemical reaction. It can yield 9.132 gram of carbon dioxide
that make the rocket have enough engine to reach the target. The mole of each
reactants that product is equal to 0.2975, 0.2075 and 0.2075 mol, respectively.
However, there was an external factor that affected to the launch of rocket. The
rocket did not land at the bull sign because of the wind.
Bennett, S. (2015). Why does baking soda and vinegar react to each other.
Retrieved from
https://prezi.com/pe9xal2zfivv/why-does-baking-soda-and-vineger-react-to-each-ot
her/
Paul, M. (2016). Chemical Reaction.
Retrieved from : https://global.britannica.com/science/chemical-reaction
Perry, B. (2016). Rocketology: NASAs Space Launch System.
Retrived from : https://blogs.nasa.gov/Rocketology/tag/chemical-reactions/
Wood, D. (n.d.). Chemical Reactions in Everyday Life.
Retrieved from :
http://study.com/academy/lesson/chemical-reactions-in-everyday-life.html
\\