Intro: In class in section two, we learned more about the periodic table and the way it is set up. My group was, Carlos, Morgan, Chase, Garett, and Maia. We also learned about RXNS and how rocket engines work. At the end of class we started to build our own rocket engine. The periodic table is set up in a way that elements in the same row indicates the last shell of the molecules or the energy levels. The column indicates the number of electrons in the shell. So even if you were missing a element in the periodic table you could tell what the energy levels and atomic number is just by looking at the the elements in the same column and row. You can also tell what a atom from a element looks like and how it reacts with the elements around it, by looking at where the element is placed on the periodic table. You can also tell how many electrons an atom or needs or will give away in a RXN. A RXN in simple terms it is a reaction.
Another topic we went over was the dot structure of elements and how they react with other elements when combined. Each dot represents a a valine electron. A example would be if you wanted to combine Nitrate and Magnesium you could write Mg and N and swap the electrons. You swap the electrons in a way where every neutron cancels out and has a full shell. That could include adding in more of the same elements so the you have more electrons to swap. I learned that oxidation is the loss of electrons and reduction is the gaining of electrons. Oxidation and reduction always occur together. As electrons move faster the more likely molecules are going to combine and make energy or a RXN. Fire is a combustion RXN, fire is basically burnt hydrogen and steel electrons. RXNs occur when two or more molecules interact and the molecules change. This is done when atoms form a new bond and that RXN creates energy. Bonds between atoms are broken and created to form new molecules. Reactions start with one molecule and turn it into another.
Chemical bonds are made or broken in order to create a new molecule or new phase of matter. There is a infinite amount of reactions that could take place. RXNs could use combustion reactions in things like rockets, internal combustion engines, fuel, electricity, cooking and so much more. Without chemical energy you could not have mechanical energy. Next I learned the basics of the anatomy of a rocket engine it includes; a fuse, nozzle, fuel, ejection charge, black powder, distance relationship, and a drilled hole. The rocket is light from the bottom through the fuse and fuel, to the top where the ejection charge is. (there will be a digram of a rocket bellow)
We used what we've learned to make a rocket engine. The first thing we did to make engine was cut a 1 in pvc pipe into about a two inch section. We filled it with a mixture of 35% sorbitol 65% nitrate fuel and about 1% nitrate oxide. Our rocket has sorbitol sugar which burns really easily so it is a oxidizer. When these elements combine it creates energy (fire). Fire is a combination of chemical and physical changes. Every time molecules from a bond energy in the from of a explosion. Then we sanded the inside of the pipe so the solution so that the cement would stick to it better. Then added in the hydraulic cement for the nozzle. The hydraulic cement is different from regular cement because when it dries the molecules crystallize and expand. We let it dry for a couple of days for it to completely solidify. After they were dried Andrew drilled a hole through the middle and put a capo on the top.
Know it is ready to test the ideal way for a rocket engine to work is, it will make a popping sound and smoke will start to come out of the top and then the bottom for the ejection charge. We all had to stand back after it was light so that it if the pipe exploded it wouldn't hit us. When our rocket was light it popped and gray smoke came out of the bottom fairly slowly because, it was Andrew accidentally cracked some of our cement. It made a hissing sound as the smoke came out. Ours was a bit less powerful then the rest of the rockets. But I think it still would have worked if it was inside a actual rocket.
Reflection: This lab was pretty interesting to me because I have never done anything with rockets before. The way we made the engine was a lot less complicated then I thought it would be. But there is a lot of things that you don't see going on on a molecular level that I did not know before I've researched it. I thought that our group worked well together too.
Another topic we went over was the dot structure of elements and how they react with other elements when combined. Each dot represents a a valine electron. A example would be if you wanted to combine Nitrate and Magnesium you could write Mg and N and swap the electrons. You swap the electrons in a way where every neutron cancels out and has a full shell. That could include adding in more of the same elements so the you have more electrons to swap. I learned that oxidation is the loss of electrons and reduction is the gaining of electrons. Oxidation and reduction always occur together. As electrons move faster the more likely molecules are going to combine and make energy or a RXN. Fire is a combustion RXN, fire is basically burnt hydrogen and steel electrons. RXNs occur when two or more molecules interact and the molecules change. This is done when atoms form a new bond and that RXN creates energy. Bonds between atoms are broken and created to form new molecules. Reactions start with one molecule and turn it into another.
Chemical bonds are made or broken in order to create a new molecule or new phase of matter. There is a infinite amount of reactions that could take place. RXNs could use combustion reactions in things like rockets, internal combustion engines, fuel, electricity, cooking and so much more. Without chemical energy you could not have mechanical energy. Next I learned the basics of the anatomy of a rocket engine it includes; a fuse, nozzle, fuel, ejection charge, black powder, distance relationship, and a drilled hole. The rocket is light from the bottom through the fuse and fuel, to the top where the ejection charge is. (there will be a digram of a rocket bellow)
We used what we've learned to make a rocket engine. The first thing we did to make engine was cut a 1 in pvc pipe into about a two inch section. We filled it with a mixture of 35% sorbitol 65% nitrate fuel and about 1% nitrate oxide. Our rocket has sorbitol sugar which burns really easily so it is a oxidizer. When these elements combine it creates energy (fire). Fire is a combination of chemical and physical changes. Every time molecules from a bond energy in the from of a explosion. Then we sanded the inside of the pipe so the solution so that the cement would stick to it better. Then added in the hydraulic cement for the nozzle. The hydraulic cement is different from regular cement because when it dries the molecules crystallize and expand. We let it dry for a couple of days for it to completely solidify. After they were dried Andrew drilled a hole through the middle and put a capo on the top.
Know it is ready to test the ideal way for a rocket engine to work is, it will make a popping sound and smoke will start to come out of the top and then the bottom for the ejection charge. We all had to stand back after it was light so that it if the pipe exploded it wouldn't hit us. When our rocket was light it popped and gray smoke came out of the bottom fairly slowly because, it was Andrew accidentally cracked some of our cement. It made a hissing sound as the smoke came out. Ours was a bit less powerful then the rest of the rockets. But I think it still would have worked if it was inside a actual rocket.
Reflection: This lab was pretty interesting to me because I have never done anything with rockets before. The way we made the engine was a lot less complicated then I thought it would be. But there is a lot of things that you don't see going on on a molecular level that I did not know before I've researched it. I thought that our group worked well together too.