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Introduction In our LEV class, Leadership in Science and Mathematics (SCI 2310), a major course component was to work with Clyde high school students on the science TAKS test. Passing the eleventh grade TAKS test is a high school graduation requirement for students in Texas. From our initial visit with teachers at Clyde High School and the data they provided us from the previous years tenth grade TAKS exam, we determined that chemistry and physics were subjects that needed to be reinforced. We also learned that Clyde had three science TAKS classes in which the teachers were very eager to accept our help. Process To gain a further understanding of the students needs, we met with their teachers. From the meeting we gathered useful information, including TAKS data from the previous year, the teachers opinion of the students greatest needs, which students needed the most help, and an indication of how motivated the students were. Compiling the TAKS data from the previous year, we determined which concepts the students needed to learn the most. One of the Clyde teachers also gave us an article entitled Teaching Content Outrageously: Instruction in the Era of On-Demand Entertainment. Out next step was to brainstorm outrageous ideas similar to that of the article but related to chemistry and/or physics. We wanted to find something that would give a bang and keep them interested while also teaching the needed concepts. Some of these ideas were construction, cooking, Mythbusters, and rocketry. In the end, we chose rocketry as our project because it covered most of the desired concepts. We decided which TAKS equations and rocket experiments we wanted to use and then designed worksheets that reviewed this material. Acknowledgments We would like to thank the teachers, administrators, and students of Clyde High School for their enthusiastic support for our project. We appreciate the help given by Ms. Kinslow, Ms. Walton, Ms. Owens, Mr. Fuqua, Ms. Howard, and Mr. Ogle at Clyde High School. We learned much from observing and working with their classes. Class Schedule Conclusions Our initial goal of designing a project to help high school students learn concepts they generally struggle with on the TAKS was accomplished. We also wrote a teachers guide which includes a day-by-day outline for teaching a class on rocketry, the worksheets we developed to help reinforce their understanding of various concepts, and information about what supplies were used and how much they cost. This guide is available in PDF format at http://MCMOST.mcm.edu. This is Rocket Science A Project about Leadership in Science and Mathematics By James Freiheit, Michael Herriage, Sheharyar Khan, Austin Wegner McMurry Center for Mission Outreach with Science and Technology (MCMOST), McMurry University, Abilene, Texas 79697 References Pogrow, Stanley. Teaching Content Outrageously: Instruction in the Era of On-Demand Entertainment. Phi Delta Kappan 91 (January 2009): 379-383. http://www.esteseducator.com/ http://www.nar.org/SandT/NARenglist.shtml http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3839&menu_id3=79 3 Field Trip to McMurry To give the students encouragement for the TAKS test and to foster a college-going environment, we invited Clyde students to come to McMurry for a morning. While they were here, Dr. Keith launched several of his larger, more impressive, Estes rockets. Then, the students participated in physics and chemistry demonstrations. The McMurry Office of Admission gave them a tour of the campus. We finished the field trip by playing Jeopardy! using TAKS questions. In partial fulfillment of the requirements for SCI 2310: Leadership in Science and Mathematics Objectives Our primary objective was to improve the Clyde students TAKS scores by helping them to understand certain fundamental concepts in chemistry and/or physics. We also hoped to inspire these students in their learning by showing them how much fun science can be. Day 1 On our first day at Clyde, we introduced the rocket concept to the students. This involved showing off the rocket and discussing its shape as well as its parts and their purpose. We used deflated and inflated balloons to demonstrate balanced and unbalanced forces (Figure 1) and showed them how to make a free-body diagram. Finally, the concepts introduced were summarized using Newtons three laws of motion. Day 2 We paired the students up, gave Estes E2X Generic Bulk Pack rocket kits to each group, and assisted them in constructing the rockets (Figure 2). Day 3 There were several tasks for this day. First, a bench test of the motor was performed. Using a force sensor connected to a tablet computer, the students collected data on the force and duration of the burn (Figure 3). Next, the students collected data on the masses of the rockets they built and on the burned and unburned motors. Finally, the students constructed angle- measuring devices. Days 4 & 5 Using data collected from the bench test (Figure 3), the students completed a worksheet using TAKS equations to calculate and predict the height reached by the rocket, as well as information on its velocity and energy. Day 6 After waiting for a day with calm winds, we were finally able to launch the rockets (Figure 4). Four to five rockets were launched during each period. For each launch, the students took turns collecting various data. One student pressed the button to launch the rocket. Another student stood a premeasured distance away and used the angle-measuring device to measure the angle to the rocket at its peak. Two other students used stopwatches to measure the time the rocket traveled going up and down. Days 7 & 8 Using trigonometry, TAKS equations, and data collected from the launch, the students worked through another worksheet to calculate how high the rocket actually went and information on its actual velocity and energy. They compared these results to their predictions and discussed possible reasons for the differences. On our last day working with the students at Clyde, we used actual TAKS questions from previous exams to show how the concepts we had been using with rockets would apply to the real TAKS test. Figure 1. James Freiheit and Michael Herriage demonstrate forces with a balloon. Figure 2. Students from Clyde High School building their rockets. Figure 3. Data collect during the bench test, showing force vs. time that the motor is burning. Figure 4. Launching a rocket at Clyde High School.

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Austin WegnerTodd Neer McMurry University Lagrangian Points The force of gravity between two objects depends on the mass of the two objects, and the square of the distance between them. In any system of three bodies, you will always be able to find exactly five places where the force of gravity of two of the objects acting on a third object balance in such a way that they corotate. These five points are called Lagrangian points. At these locations, the third object will be able to remain stationary relative to the other two For a planet and sun, three of the points, L 1, L 2, and L 3 lie in a line along the planet and sun. These points act more as saddle points, so an object could move out to the side. The other two points, L 4 and L 5 lie 60 ahead and behind the planet. These two points are much larger the first three points, as well as more stable because they are more like wells. Lasers Laser light is different from normal light because it is coherent, which means that the light is emitted in a narrow beam. Using lasers to accelerate the spacecraft has several advantages over using the suns light. First, the distance between the Earth and the craft is smaller than the distance between the craft and the sun. Second, the laser can be focused on and aimed toward the craft. At the Earths orbit, the radiation pressure of the sun is 4.6 P. For the failed Cosmos 1 solar sail, this would have caused an acceleration of 0.0005 m/s 2. After 1 day, it would reach 45 m/s (100 mph), and after 3 years, it would reach 45,000 m/s (100,000 mph). At this speed it could have reached Pluto in 5 years. A laser could produce a pressure 100 times greater. Imagine how much faster it could have gone if it used lasers instead! The sun can only be used for acceleration. If lasers were placed in the farther reaches of the solar system, they could be used for braking as well as for acceleration. Today, the weight of a space shuttle at launch is approximately 95 percent fuel. What could we accomplish if we could reduce our need for so much fuel and the tanks that hold it? Solar Sails A solar sail-powered spacecraft does not need traditional propellant for power, because its propellant is sunlight and the sun is its engine. How does it work? The reflective nature of the sails is key. As photons (light particles) bounce off the reflective material, they gently push the sail along by transferring momentum to the sail. Because there are so many photons from sunlight, and because they are constantly hitting the sail, there is a constant pressure (force per unit area) exerted on the sail that produces a constant acceleration of the spacecraft. Equations Where F=Force (in N), P=Power (in W), A=Surface Area (in m 2 ), c = Speed of Light (in m/s), a=Acceleration (in m/s 2 ), and m=Mass of Object (in kg) What is needed to make a Solar Sail Two main components: Continuous force exerted by light source A separate launch vehicle A second spacecraft is needed to launch the solar sail, which would then be deployed in space. Put It All Together An Idea? What we propose is that if we could combine the solar sail concepts, laser light source, and Lagrangian points we can plan one of the most efficient methods of space travel. Concept To go to a higher orbit (travel farther away from the object), you angle the solar sail with respect to the laser so that the pressure generated by photons is in the direction of your orbital motion. The force accelerates the spacecraft, increases the speed of its orbit and the spacecraft moves into a higher orbit. In contrast, if you want to go to a lower orbit (closer to the object), you angle the sail with respect to the laser so that the pressure generated by the photons is opposite the direction of your orbital motion. The force then decelerates the spacecraft, decreases the speed of its orbit and the spacecraft drops into a lower orbit. The Mission Taking solar sail spacecrafts with lasers attached we can send the lasers out into larger orbits and place them in the 4th and 5th Lagrangian points of the planets in the solar system. These Lagrangian points will essentially become orbital checkpoints for our space travel mission. The figure above shows a (not to scale) idea of where the lasers would be placed in Lagrangian points 4 and 5 of the planets. The red dots on the orbits represent the lasers. Once these lasers are in place throughout our solar system we could possibly send a large solar sail spacecraft into space and have it accelerated through the checkpoints into the depths of our solar system. Picture Sources http://www.gcsescience.com/pun3.htm http://science.howstuffworks.com/solarsail2.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_sails http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasers 60 L1L1 L5L5 L3L3 L4L4 L2L2

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