As you know, I have been working on rocketry with my group. In my post Rocketry Rocks! you can read what I have been working on. We began to learn how to use all of the tools for the launch. We learned how to use the launchpad, a trundle wheel and a clinometer.
First we learned how to use a launchpad. You need to fill up your bottle with about 150 milileters of water. You then stick the bottle on the cork that is on the launchpad. Than you pump 90 PSI of air into the bottle. Than a teammate of yours goes to the other side of you bottle and picks up the string. But before you launch your rocket you need to make sure everybody is ready. You need to yell “CLINOMETERS READY?” and then you start the countdown. When they get to one you pull the string. BOOM!!!
A trundle wheel is a wheel that you use for measuring meters. Every time you walk a meter the wheel will give a little click. You start in the middle and go about 15 meters out from the launchpad. You will need somebody to count 15 clicks for you as you are walking.
A clinometer is a tool that you use to measure angles. You release the trigger and point to where you want to measure your angle(usually up). When you get to the angle you let go of the trigger an arrow will point to a number. The number will show what the angle was. Once you have your angle you can make a chart. The chart will help you see how many meters your rocket went up.
This information is all supposed to help you on your launch day. I hope that I will get a good job on Launch Day. I also hope that everything will be successful. I am glad we practiced measuring angles because I would never be able to measure angles on my first time!