Rocket Launch Stage II

Thanks to some great parent helpers, kids were able to add rocket-style features to the one and two liter bottles that were donated to our class.  Today the weather held long enough for us to see if the add-on's would make any difference to the flight pattern.  We found that in general the 2-liter bottles went way higher than the one-liter bottles and the wings and cones had little effect on how the bottles flew or how high they went.  Below is a transcript of some of what we talked about afterward.

Ryan:  The two liter bottle went up higher.  When we turned them into ships they went lower.
Stacie:  The first time that we did it, it went up higher.  When we added all the wings it went slower.  The first one went up higher and faster.  The second ones wouldn't go up so high.
Logan:  I think that the 2-liters went up higher because of aerodynamics.  I"' thinking it went up higher because the aerodynamics wasn't so heavy.  When we added all the rocket stuff it was more heavy.
Bella B.:  I think that the 2-liter went up higher because it was taller and didn't have as much stuff.  The second time the bottles were smaller and had more stuff on them.  

So now we are working with the lingering question of what made the 2-liters go higher?  Here are some initial hypotheses.

Reta:  Is it the amount of water in the bottle? The 2-liter bottles hold more.

JJ:  Was it the height of the bottle? They're taller so maybe they go higher. 

Logan: Was it the aerodynamics (shape of the bottles)? Maybe they move through the air differently based on their shape.

Further testing and observation is required!