This laboratory experiment introduces rocket science
from a chemistry perspective. The focus is set on chemical propulsion, includin
g its environmental impact and future development. By combinin
g lecture-based teachin
g with practical, theoretical, and computational exercises, the students
get to evaluate different propellant alternatives. To complete the task, they need to use several important curricular concepts, such as the breakin
g and formation of bonds, redox reactions, and thermodynamics. They also apply basic computational electronic structure calculations to investi
gate the ener
getic content of hitherto nonexistin
g alternatives. Finally, actual chemical rocket propulsion is demonstrated throu
gh the assembly and testin
g of a model rocket motor, employin
g a commercially available kit. The full experiment was developed for upper-level hi
gh school
classes and is completed in a 3-h lab period. The experiment, or parts of it, has also been successfully used both in under
graduate pro
grams and continuin
g education for teachers.
Keywords:
authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=High+School%2FIntroductory+Chemistry&qsSearchArea=searchText">High School/Introductory Chemistry; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=First%5C-Year+Undergraduate%2FGeneral&qsSearchArea=searchText">First-Year Undergraduate/General; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Physical+Chemistry&qsSearchArea=searchText">Physical Chemistry; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Interdisciplinary%2FMultidisciplinary&qsSearchArea=searchText">Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Hands%5C-On+Learning%2FManipulatives&qsSearchArea=searchText">Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Applications+of+Chemistry&qsSearchArea=searchText">Applications of Chemistry; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Calorimetry%2FThermochemistry&qsSearchArea=searchText">Calorimetry/Thermochemistry; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Computational+Chemistry&qsSearchArea=searchText">Computational Chemistry; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Covalent+Bonding&qsSearchArea=searchText">Covalent Bonding; authors" href="http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&searchText=Oxidation%2FReduction&qsSearchArea=searchText">Oxidation/Reduction