squeezy bottle rocket steam experiment

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How to make a Squeezy Bottle Rocket

February 26, 2016 By Emma Vanstone 2 Comments

These easy squeezy bottle rockets are great fun to make and a brilliant introduction to forces, in particular Newton’s Third Law of motion , which sounds complicated but actually makes a lot of sense.

What is Newton’s Third Law?

For every action there is always an opposite and equal reaction.

Think about a space rocket taking off. The rocket’s action is to push down on the ground with the force of it’s engines, the equal upwards force pushes the rocket up or if you think about air coming out of a balloon, the air is being forced downwards yet the balloon flies upwards.

In the case of our squeezy bottle rockets, as you squeeze the bottle, air is forced out of the straw and pushes against whatever you have sealing the top of the larger straw, this force causes the straw to “fly” through the air.

How to make a squeezy bottle rocket

• Empty Squeezy water bottles
• Glue/sellotape

Challenge 1

To build a mini rocket which can be launched from the water bottle.

Instructions

For the bottle.

Lift up the sports cap and push in half a straw, seal around it with blu tack.

Squeeze the bottle and make sure air is coming out of the top of the straw, not the sides.

For the rocket

Draw and cut out a cardboard rocket.

Seal one end of a larger straw than the one in the bottle with sellotape.

Attach the rocket onto one side of the straw.

Place the rocket on the bottle and squeeze the bottle hard, the rocket should fly into the air.

Squeezy sauce bottles can be used instead of water bottles to make this activity a little easier.

Challenge 2

What happens if the rocket is made bigger/heavier, does it fly as far?

Challenge 3

How do you think using a smaller bottle will affect how the rocket flies?

When experimenting remember to only change one factor at once, so either change the size of the bottle or the weight of the rocker, not both!

More space science experiments for kids

If you enjoyed this activity you might like our DIY Space Camp !

Learn about Galileo and Issac Newton with these simple gravity experiments , including film canister rockets, straw rockets and a magnet trick where you can defy gravity!

Learning Objectives

Key Stage 1 Working Scientifically

Key Stage 2 – Forces/Working Scientifically

Contains affiliate links

Last Updated on May 6, 2020 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

March 10, 2016 at 9:52 am

Wow nice experiment. I love how simply you performed this experiment. Kids will really love this. Thumbs up 🙂

April 20, 2017 at 8:53 am

Looks great, I will have to try this!

I’m afraid, though, your explanation is wrong. Rockets don’t push against the ground (they still fly in space!) and in the case of the bottle rocket the rocket is being directly pushed by the air. The equal and opposite force will be trying to push the squeezy bottle backwards!

Sorry to be pedantic!

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Simple and Easy Rocket Craft and Experiment

One of our favourite themes for kids is out of this world and we love activities and crafts about. It’s Space! The final frontier! So this simple space activity and craft is great to do with kids of all ages. Why not get them to make their own rocket and then experiment with how far they can get it to go !

Featured Book “This is Rocket Science”

We have included affiliate links to some of the products and resources as an associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Hello, my name is Emma and I write the blog Science Sparks . Cerys kindly invited me to take part in space week today so I can tell you all about my brand new book, This Is Rocket Science !!

This Is Rocket Science contains 70 exciting and hands-on activities designed to help children understand how a rocket is able to blast off into space, how astronauts cope with some of the difficulties of living in space and also takes you on a tour of the solar system learning about the incredible distances involved and features of each planet. My children and I had a fantastic time creating the activities in the book, so I hope you love them as much as we do.

This squeezy bottle rocket activity is taken from the Tricky Trajectory chapter of This Is Rocket Science. Did you know that after the initial vertical path upwards rockets turn so they are on the correct path to enter orbit around the Earth. This means their overall trajectory is a curved path, not the vertical path you might have expected.

Looking for more Space Themed Books to read and enjoy with your children check out our list of recommendation ideal for extending this activity further.

Rocket Craft and Experiment – Squeezy Bottle Rocket

These easy to build rockets are perfect for investigating how the angle a rocket is launched from affects its flight.

How do they work?

When you squeeze the bottle air is forced out of the straw in the bottle and pushes against the rocket straw ( which is sealed at one end ). The force of air on the rocket straw makes it fly through the air.

Materials need for your Rocket Investigation

• Empty Squeezy water bottles with a sports cap
• Straws – one wider than another
• Glue / sellotape
• Blu tack or  Plasticine

Instructions on making your Rocket Launder to Investigate How Rocket’s Blast Off Into Space

Bottle launching device.

Lift up the sports cap of your bottle and push in half of your thinner straw. Seal around the straw and sports cap with blu tack or plasticine.

Squeeze the bottle and make sure air is coming out of the top of the straw ONLY, not from the sides.

Straw Rocket

Draw and cut out a cardboard or paper rocket.

Seal one end of your wider straw using sellotape. This straw must fit over the top of your thinner straw. Blow down the straw and make sure no air can escape from the top.

Attach your card or paper rocket onto one side of the straw with double sided tape.

Place the rocket onto your bottle launcher and squeeze the bottle hard. Your straw rocket should shoot into the air.

Extending your Activity Further

Try launching your rocket at different angles and measure how far it travels each time. Remember to try to use the same squeezing force for each launch to make your investigation a fair test.

Try adding extra weight to the straw rocket by adding a small amount of plasticine or a paperclip to the end. What do you think will happen?

Learning Points

You should find that your straw rocket flies farther if you launch at an angle rather than straight up. This is because of gravity and the forward force created by the rocket launcher act together to create a curved flight path.

More Space and Rocket Themed Activities for Kids

• Space Rocket Experiment
• Mars Rover Craft and Play
• Junk Model Space Rocket

FREE Printable Space Counting Clip Cards for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Emma from Science Sparks

Emma is a busy mum to four children and creator of  Science Sparks , a website full of easy, hands-on and exciting science activities and investigations.

When she’s not blogging Emma is usually driving her children to gymnastics or swimming!

You can find Emma over on  Facebook  and  Pinterest .

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Squeeze Bottle Rocket

Have a blast turning a bottle and straws into a rocket launcher.

Print this Experiment

It’s easy to turn a juice bottle into a rocket launcher. How? Grab a few straws, some modeling clay, and an empty juice bottle to make a launcher that will send the straw rocket soaring across the room. Okay, you’ll learn something about Newton’s Laws of Motion at the same time.

Experiment Videos

Here's What You'll Need

Kool-aid® bursts juice bottle (flexible plastic bottle), modeling clay, 2 straws (find one that’s large in diameter and one small. the larger diameter straw must be able to slip over the smaller straw. the large and small straws from a very popular coffee shop chain work great. follow a star and bring a few bucks.), safety glasses, let's try it.

Drink the juice! Enjoy it and then clean and dry the bottle.

Push the smaller straw into the opening of the bottle. The straw should fit snugly in the hole at the top of the bottle. Leave as much straw as possible sticking out of the bottle to hold up the larger straw.

Use modeling clay to seal any possible leaks between the straw and the hole in the bottle. The clay will also make the straw more stable and less likely to wobble.

Push one end of the bigger straw into another piece of modeling clay. This “plug” will seal the end of the straw. Cover the plugged end with something soft, like a Styrofoam packing peanut, to keep the straw rocket from hurting anyone in case they get hit (“accidentally,” of course).

It’s time to launch. Place the larger straw over the smaller straw. Ready, aim, squeeze! The larger straw launches off the smaller straw and the room erupts in a chorus of ooohs and ahhhs!

How Does It Work

While you’re having fun launching straws, you’re actually learning about Newton’s Laws of Motion . According to the  First Law , an object at rest (the larger straw) wants to stay at rest if it’s not moving and to keep moving in a straight line if it is moving. That straw will not move unless some force is applied to it to make it move. That’s where your actions come into the equation by squeezing the juice bottle. Newton’s Third Law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. As you squeeze the bottle, air is forced out of the smaller straw and pushes against the clay plug in the larger straw. The resulting force causes the straw to “launch” through the air.

Our good friend and science teacher Bruce Yeany explains it this way…

When you give that bottle a good ol’ squeeze, you’re actually shrinking its interior space. Think of it like a mini dance floor where air particles are groovin’. Squeeze the bottle, and you’re telling those air particles to get cozy—real cozy. This makes the pressure inside the bottle skyrocket. Go ahead, try it with an empty soda bottle and its cap on. Squeeze away! You’ll notice it doesn’t give much, right? That’s the pressure building up, my friends.

Now, let’s add a twist—a straw. When you put a straw into the mix, you’re basically giving the air an escape route, like a VIP exit from a crowded concert. No more pressure build-up.

Ready for some action? Squeeze that bottle fast, and whoosh. The air zooms out of the straw, propelling it forward. It’s the same science that sends a straw wrapper flying when you blow on it.

Two things will make your straw go the distance:

• The speed of your squeeze—the faster, the better
• The length of the straw—longer straws make for longer flights

So, go ahead, experiment and let those straws fly.

Remember… never point the straw rocket at anyone. The goal here is to launch the rocket up in the air (not at someone). Be sure to cover the plugged end of the straw with something soft and round to protect someone from accidentally getting hurt by a sharp edge. Be creative! Once you’ve mastered the simple straw rocket, challenge your friends to a straw rocket design contest. Add a nose cone, some fins, a few decorations, and don’t forget to name your straw rocket.

This experiment was designed using the Kool-Aid® bursts juice product. While other flexible juice bottles may work, the Kool-Aid product works very well. The larger straw should fit loosely over the smaller straw. There should be no friction or resistance at all or the straw will not be able to launch. If you’re tired of searching for straws, just stop by your favorite coffee shop to pick up a few.

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Squeeze Bottle Rockets

Introduction: Squeeze Bottle Rockets

This is a variation on Strawkets I saw at RAFT, and I wanted to see if these would fly as well as the original Strawkets experiment I did with students a while back.

Four 6th grader classes conducted this experiment recently, and the results were conclusive - lung power wins! There's no comparison between lung power and squeeze bottle power. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures in class, so I took these pictures separately.

Step 1: List of Supplies:

List of Supplies:

• 2 kinds, one skinnier than the other (they should be able to slide easily inside of one another but not too loose)
• Facial tissue
• Index cards
• Adhesive tape
• Squeeze bottle
• A piece of soft foam to cover the bottle opening

All the materials are easy to find except for the squeeze bottle. I think you can find these at Target or Walmart in the travel container section.

The black piece on top of the squeeze bottle is a squishy foam with a hole in the middle for the straw. If you don't have anything like this, you can just tape over the opening, insert the straw, and tape around the straw to make sure that no air is escaping (except through the straw).

Step 2: Rocket Power Options

Try flying your straw rockets with the inner straw pushed all the way in & pulled out to the bendy neck of the skinnier straw. Experiment and find out which way works better.

Step 3: Rocket Design Options

Take a piece of tissue, twist and fold into an oval shape, and push it into one end of the straw to make it the front end of rocket. Cut pieces of an index card (try to have fun with different shapes and sizes) and attach them at the end of your rocket as tails.

Step 4: Let Them Fly!

These are some of the shapes I experimented with today, but in class, students are VERY creative with sizes (huge to tiny) and shapes (let your creativity soar). Have fun with them.

For more fun projects, please check out Kto6Science blog .

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