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Engineering & The Media. “October Sky”. Jason Gould October 31 st , 2012. Can I Ever Use This?. Have I learned anything? Why is this important? Will I ever use any of these equations? This is soo stupid!. About the Movie. Set in Coalwood , West Virginia, 1957
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Engineering & The Media “October Sky” Jason Gould October 31st, 2012
Can I Ever Use This? • Have I learned anything? • Why is this important? • Will I ever use any of these equations? • This is soo stupid!
About the Movie • Set in Coalwood, West Virginia, 1957 • John Hickam, mine superintendent, father of main character • Homer Hickam, basis of movie • Used physics to help save his dream
Homer Hickam • Inspired by the news of Sputnik 1 • Sets out to build rockets and enter science fair • Becomes friends with Quentin Wilson for math • Help from science teacher Miss Riley • “Rocket Boys” are formed
Rocket Boys • Experience many failures • Try new fuels and rocket designs • Local paper runs story on their hobby • Arrested, and accused of have started a forest fire from downed rocket
Inspiration • Looks to a rocket science book that Miss Riley gave him • Calculates the trajectory • Uses this finding to locate their missing rocket • Presents findings to Miss Riley and school principal • Proves innocence
Physics Explained • Displacement, time, acceleration equation • S= x0 + v0t + ½at2 , initial starting spot, velocity, and time are 0 • S= ½at2 , S= 3136 • V=at , V= 448 • So for displacement over horizon, V*t = 6272 ft • 6272 ft 15840 ft
Success • Homer returns to school • Wins school science fair • Sent to national science fair in Indiana • Wins top prize and flooded with scholarship offers • Returns to Coalwood as hero • Launches a rocket 30,000 ft in celebration
After the Movie • Graduates Virginia Tech 1964 • BS in Industrial Engineering • Served in Vietnam War • Engineer for US Army ‘71-’81 • Engineer for NASA ‘81-’98
Closing Words Don’t give up on your dream, because of setbacks. Remember what you have learned and apply it to your situation to make the best of it. You never know, it might help you to become an engineer.
Sources • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Sky • http://www.homerhickam.com/movies/ • http://zonalandeducation.com/mstm/physics/mechanics/kinematics/EquationsForAcceleratedMotion/EquationsForAcceleratedMotion.htm • http://www.asknumbers.com/MilesToFeetConversion.aspx#.UIv9wU2HJ8E