We built our rocket the way our packet wanted it to be with its nose cone 29.6cm, the body 28cm, and not adding to the height, the 3 fins each 120 degrees apart being 12 cm. Like Most of the model rockets our parachute shot out for a smooth landing. The engine is in the bottom, just like a real rocket used by NASA. The rocket made of paper does not catch on fire from the engine due to the fire paper put inside the body tube of the rocket. It did work when we launched it.
Stage 1: Rockets take off by burning fuel. Burning fuel produces gas as a byproduct, which escapes the rocket with a lot of force. The force of the gas escaping provides enough thrust to power the rocket upwards and escape the the force of gravity pulling it back to Earth. In our case, because the thrust force is greater than the weight force, the force of gravity, the rockets shoots into the air. During this time the rocket will accelerate upward.
Stage 2: The thrust force is nonexistent in this next stage causing the weight force to be the only acting force. Therefore, the rocket will begin to accelerate downward at a rate of -9.8 meters per second squared. The rocket will continue on a parabolic path due to its positive velocity, reaching its maximum height during this stage. The rocket will reach its maximum height for a split second, at this moment the velocity is equal to zero.
Stage 3: Once the engine burns out, the parachute will shoot out from the top of the rocket, shooting the nose cone away. Parachutes successfully land rockets safely on the ground due to the drag force. This will slow down the landing and with it the acceleration and velocity. .