Alka-Seltzer Rocket LEGO Cars
Name: ____________________
Objective: To build a LEGO car
that accelerates from a chemical reaction.
Essential Questions:
1. What is a chemical reaction?
2. What are some of the characteristics of a chemical reaction?
3. What is acceleration?
Building Directions:
1. You and your partner will need to get your red box (Simple motorized
Machine set).
2. Every rocket car can look different, but ultimately you will need
two beams with an axle between 2 wheels in front and back and a plate across
the beams.
3. Your car will accelerate from a film canister that contains water
and Alka-Seltzer.
When these two things combine, a chemical reaction takes place and
an abundance of GAS is produced.
It keeps on building, and building, and building, until finally it
BLOWS!
4. How far can you make rocket powered car go?
Things to Consider:
1. How will the weight of my car affect its ability to accelerate?
2. How with the aerodynamic design affect my car's distance?
------------------------------------------
Trial 1: ¼ Alka-Seltzer Tablet
Distance Traveled: _______________________
Trial 2: ¼ Alka-Seltzer Tablet
Distance Traveled: _______________________
Trial 3: ¼ Alka-Seltzer Tablet
Distance Traveled: ______________________
Average Distance Traveled: ________________
------------------------------------------------
Graph your data and compare with the class.