Fueling the Future

Science pupils choose from twelve questions about five different types of fuel: hydrogen, ethanol, crude oil, natural gas, and coal. They construct a table to compare them and then determine which is the best fuel. Your physical science...

Newton's Laws get the rocket to work, but do they serve any other functions? A six-page resource classifies rockets by the type of propellant they use. It then describes applications of Newton's Laws of Motion, both in the ability to...

You might just be responsible for launching a future career in rocket science. Pupils use Alka-Seltzer® tablets as the power source for a film-canister rocket. These rockets must able to carry a clay payload and hit a target on a wall.

Which will make it fly better? Individuals build paper rockets with fins that are launched using straws. After determining an average flight distance, they make adjustments, such as size and location of fins, and try again. A second...

What are some other ways to power vehicles? Meet chemical engineer, Rosalind, as she explains her research of hydrogen fuel cells and how to use them in vehicles. She also explains why using alternative fuels is important to the world.

Assign each group of 3-4 upper elementary engineers to a different type of transportation fuel. A background information page is provided to get them started with researching their assigned fuel. Each group then produces an exhibit or a...

Say goodbye to giant rocket ships and hello to micro-spacecraft. Taking a look at the future of space exploration, this video explores the development of tiny, expendable space probes that can investigate the far reaches of space and...

How efficient is a motor in a LEGO set? Future engineers conduct an activity where a LEGO motor-generator system raises an object to a specified height. They then show what they learned and use their measurements to calculate the energy...

Solar energy and biofuels are introduced as future alternative sources of energy. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has made it their mission to make these alternatives more efficient and competitive with the use of fossil fuels....

To go or to not to go — the question for a mission to Mars. This resource provides details for a possible manned mission to Mars. Details include a launch schedule, what life would be like on the surface, and how the astronauts would...