Launching Soda Bottle Rockets using Hydrogen + Oxygen Steve Sogo Laguna Beach High School

Photo of hydrogen powered soda bottle rocket in flight

Photo credit = Cameron Zuziak, LBHS class of 2014

• Electronic Ignition Students make electronic fuses from aluminum foil—this allows for safe, reliable ignition. http://youtu.be/mRMyMwntb8c

Synopsis of Student Tasks 1. Balance equation for combustion of H 2 2 H 2 (g) + O 2 (g)  2 H 2 O (g) 2. Measure volume of bottle (they aren’t precisely 2.00-liters!) 3. Use mole ratios to determine volumes of H fill the bottle 2 and O 2 needed to 4. Use ideal gas law to determine moles of gases needed

Synopsis of Student Tasks (part 2) 5. Stoichiometry for generating O 2 (g) a) Balance equation for decomposition of H 2 O 2 b) Determine mass of H 2 O 2 required c) Determine volume of 10% H 2 O 2 solution required 6. Graph energy profile for catalyzed and uncatalyzed decomposition reaction (given  H and E a values)  H = -95 kJ/mol H 2 O 2

Synopsis of Student Tasks (part 3) 7. Stoichiometry for generating H 2 a) b) (g) Balance eqn for rxn of Ca with H 2 O Determine mass of Ca needed c) d) Determine volume of H 2 O needed Calculate kJ of heat produced in the reaction 8. Why use excess H 2 O?

9. How to compensate for oxidized calcium?

10. After launching, sketch energy profiles and explain why the rocket launches

The bottle makes a difference!

• Two outcomes are possible—a “rocket” that launches into the sky (soda bottle) or a “bomb” that explodes impressively (water/juice/milk bottle)

Time for a video!

This student-filmed video shows load and launch activities (done in a 90 minute class period) o http://youtu.be/rFakqDf-Bwc

Use of instructional videos • Three instructional videos help students do the right things: – Making fuses http://youtu.be/eaVyCz5Bqro – Generating gases http://youtu.be/hyMHLUUH1Zg – Launch pad procedures http://youtu.be/28zOejqRe6s

AACT will help distribute this lab • • The Rocket Lab was honored as a Grand Prize winner in the “Best Of” submissions to the American Association of Chemistry Teachers.

Student instruction pages and teacher notes will be provided through the AACT website

Address Questions To: • • • Steve Sogo, Laguna Beach High School ssogo@ lbusd.org

YouTube Channel = ACR92651