Water Rocket - Physics Demonstrations - Water Rocket | Physics Undergraduate Labs

Only use outdoors or in areas with high ceilings (4+ meters). Aim away from people, lighting fixtures, projectors, and sprinkler systems. The rocket can reach heights of 10+ meters and travels unpredictably if not launched vertically. Water spray can extend 2-3 meters from the launch point.

Purpose

A toy water rocket demonstrates rocket propulsion via conservation of momentum. Pressurized air expels water downward; the rocket accelerates upward — a dramatic, memorable example of Newton's Third Law.

Toy water rocket with green body, orange nose cone, and fins, connected to yellow launch base with white syringe-style pump; red funnel in foreground

Hands holding rocket upside down while pouring water from a small glass beaker through the red funnel into the tail opening

Hands inserting the white syringe pump into the tail of the inverted green rocket, with yellow lock ring visible

Hands pumping the syringe to pressurize the assembled water rocket, which stands upright with orange nose cone on top

Figure 1: Water rocket set: rocket body with fins and nose cone, syringe pump with yellow lock ring, and red funnel for filling.

Figure 2: Filling the rocket: hold upside down, insert funnel, pour 30 mL of water into the tail.

Figure 3: Inserting the pump into the rocket tail and sliding the lock ring into place.

Figure 4: Pumping air into the assembled rocket. Pull back the lock ring to launch.

100 mL Glass Beaker

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Safety Warnings

Warning: Launch Area Safety

Purpose