Timing Accuracy
Predict Your Flight Time
The Challenge: Predict how long your rocket will stay in the air - then launch and see how close you get!
Setup
- Set launcher angle (announce to all players)
- Set pressure level (announce to all players)
- One person operates the stopwatch
- Everyone uses the SAME settings for fair comparison
How to Play
- PREDICT: Before launching, announce your predicted flight time (in seconds)
- RECORD: Write down each player's prediction
- LAUNCH: Timer starts when rocket leaves the launcher
- MEASURE: Timer stops when rocket hits the ground
- SCORE: Calculate the difference between prediction and actual time
Scoring
| Prediction Error | Points |
|---|---|
| Within 0.5 seconds | 10 points |
| Within 1 second | 7 points |
| Within 2 seconds | 4 points |
| Within 3 seconds | 2 points |
| More than 3 seconds off | 1 point |
Game Modes
- Single Round: Everyone launches once, closest prediction wins
- Improving: 3 rounds - can you get more accurate each time?
- Changing Conditions: Change angle or pressure each round
Science Connection: Flight time depends on launch angle and initial velocity. Higher angles mean longer flight times but shorter distances. Try to notice patterns!