The ratios will include zero to zero, ambient air, the control for the experiment, one to one, one to two, and two to one, hydrogen oxygen respectively for experimental trial. During the activity, students should be able to construct a plastic bulb pipette rocket and test the rocket with varying mixtures hydrogen and oxygen by igniting the mixture with a high voltage tesla coil. This activity is designed so students will be learning in a structured setting and participating in a structured inquiry level through a controlled scientific experiment. A follow up activity could investigate how NASA scientists launch real rockets into space and propose a procedure to investigate and collect data on a launching a heavier object at the school football field. Group assessments will be the deciding assessment for the final lab score. Other groups along with the teacher will assess each group by using a provided rubric. Students will present their structured inquiry investigations using a power-point presentation. Students will perform the lab, collect data, and discuss, compare, and contrast their lab findings with the balanced chemical reaction equation. Students will compare the balanced chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen with their lab results students should discover that the optimal distance occurs when the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen is two to one hydrogen, oxygen mixture ratio and this can be determined theoretically from the balanced chemical reaction equation.

Students will explore and determine the proportions of hydrogen and oxygen mixture that will achieve the best launch results. Students will understand the principles of combustion reactions, kinetics, stoichiometry of reactions, activation energy, explosive mixtures, rocketry, and different types of chemical reactions. In this chemistry lab, students investigate how to build and launch a simple rocket that uses hydrogen and oxygen gases that will be mixed to propel the rocket (large bulb plastic pipette).

Tips for balancing combustion reactions