How to make a film canister rocket

Along with volcanoes, magic milk, and a lava lamp, film canister rockets are a must do science experiment for kids of all ages.

Why make a film canister rocket?

• Film canister rockets are perfect for demonstrating Newton’s Laws of Motion. First the rocket lifts off because it is acted upon by an external force ( Newton’s First Law )caused by the buildup of gas produced inside the canister. This causes the lid to blow off, launching the film canister into the air.
• The rocket travels upward with a force that is equal and opposite to the downward force propelling the water, gas and lid (Newton’s Third Law).
• The amount of force is directly proportional to the amount of water and gas released from the canister and how fast it accelerates (Newton’s Second Law).
• They are great fun!

How to make a film canister rocket

What you need

Film canister or effervescent vitamin tablet container.

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Alka seltzer or effervescent vitamin tablet

Water

How to set up your alka seltzer film canister rocket

Fill your canister about a third full with water.

Drop in one tablet.

Place the lid on firmly.

Stand well back!

We managed to get three rockets from one tablet, so have some water standing by to replenish quickly before the tablet disintegrates.

Make it an investigation

The rockets are great fun just to set up and watch but you could turn the activity into a full investigation.

What happens if you add more or less water?

Does alka seltzer work better than a vitamin tablet?

Can you think of way to measure the  height reached?

How many launches can you get from one tablet, by adding more water after the each launch?

What would happen if you added a weight to the canister?

Would this work with baking soda and vinegar?

Don’t forget that for your experiment to be a fair test you need to change just one condition and keep the rest constant, for example if you’re investigating whether a vitamin tablet works better than alka seltzer, you’ll need to keep the amount of water in the canisters the same, and shake each the same amount ( or not shake at all ).

Why does the film canister fly?

When the alka seltzer or vitamin tablet reacts with the water it releases carbon dioxide ( a gas ). The carbon dioxide builds up inside the canister, increasing the air pressure so much that when the canister can take no more it pops off and shoots up into the air.

Image taken from This IS Rocket Science

You can see in this photo where we trapped the gas in a balloon just how much gas is released, it’s no wonder the canister flies with such a bang.

The creative opportunities with film canister rockets are almost endless. Try theming them like our Minion Rocket or The Science Kiddo did some painting with their rockets.

Did you know we have a book available? This Is Rocket Science is full of easy and exciting space themed activities perfect for kids of all ages. Click the image to find out more.