Rocket, air/water propelled

Brace yourself - we have some exciting rocket science in-store for you! Using the simple parts from this kit launch a precision water rocket over 30 metres, that's 11 stories high! It's not only loads of fun, but this Rokit kit is used in education throughout the world to demonstrate Laws of Motion. Attach the Rokit to a standard plastic soft drink bottle, part fill with water and use a bicycle pump to power it for an automatic launch. It can be used over and over again.

Age: This is not a toy. It is to be used under the direct supervision onf an adult.

All the parts needed to assemble your water rocket in a box. Note: plastic soft drink bottle and bicycle pump are not included.

• 3 x Red Fins
• Bottle Screw Collar
• Collar 'O' Ring
• Rubber Nozzle
• Launch Wire
• Yellow Pressure Tube & Fittings
• Pictorial assembly instructions

A squid propels itself by filling its body with water and ejecting it backwards in order to move forwards. This is the principle used by rocket engineers. Space rockets use fuels that are burned in a chamber shaped rather like a bottle, with the neck pointing backwards. The burning fuel produces a large quantity of gas that is further expanded by the heat generated and this is ejected through the neck (or nozzle) of the "bottle" (normally called the combustion chamber) at a very high velocity, propelling the rocket in the opposite direction.

Rokit Science

The Rokit, like the squid, uses water as the driving agent and compressed air instead of heat to provide the energy.For the technically minded the pressure in the bottle at launch (just before the brass bung releases) is about 18 x 104 N/m2 (or about 25 psi). The water is forced through a nozzle with a cross sectional area of about 1cm2 and this produces a theoretical thrust of about 18 Newtons (about 3.9lbs) at launch. As the water is ejected the ROKIT gets lighter resulting in an increased acceleration or 'g' force. This increasing 'g' force is one of the more unpleasant aspects of space flight that astronauts have to endure; a rocket leaving the earth's atmosphere would have to keep up this increasing acceleration for some time. The Rokit expels its charge of water in about 1 second so DON'T WORRY, IT'S NOT LIKELY TO GO INTO ORBIT!

• Laws of Motion
• Principles of rocket propulsion
• Fuel and Energy
• Power of compressed air
• Angle of elevation, flight paths trajectory, streamlining and basic aerodynamics
• Experiment with recovery systems and try making a simple parachute to attach to the bottle

WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Small Parts. Not for children under 3 years.