2006-09-13 01:56:51 · 8 answers · asked by aravinth Physics 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Just as it made to start from the earth towards the moon, i.e., by firing rocket motor and exhausting a jet of burnt gas through a small nozzle. By the 'conservation of momentum' law the exhaust gas then propels the space ship forward to the earth.
2006-09-13 02:36:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It propels against its own exhaust. Newton's 3rd law that says for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction applies. The action is the rocket pushing the exhaust one way. The reaction is the exhaust pushing the rocket the other way. Nothing is pushing against the air, even when the rocket is still in the atmosphere. All the action and reaction is between the rocket and its own exhaust. Much the same as the recoil of a gun. An explosion pushes a bullet out the barrel of the gun, and the bullet pushes the gun back at you.
2006-09-13 09:09:47 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. If you held a rocket high in the air and pointed towards the horizon, it would not "push against" the ground once its engine was ignited - it'd take off towards that horizon anyway. Nor does it need the air to push against - if you could set it out in space away from all air or any solid body, it'd still start moving once the engine was ignited. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction - in deep empty space or right here on Earth.
2006-09-13 09:31:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They say the total absence of gravitational pull on moon would send a cricket ball hit by a bat not only over boundary but over the boundary of moon itself. The space ship may just need a violent push from below and it would merrily glide into space. The only gadget necessary would be to keep it on course to earth. Else it will wander into space
Just moonshine.!
2006-09-13 09:16:34 · answer #4 · answered by Prabhakar G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Space ships work by means of conservation of momentum.
For example, if you fire a gun, the bullet travels forwards at high velocity, and the gun 'kicks' back against you. Conservation of momentum. The forward momentum of the bullet is matched by the backward momentum of the gun.
With a space ship, the exhaust fumes and put through a nozzle to greatly increase their velocity, and hence momentum...their backwards momentum is matched by the ship being thrust forwards.
Newton's 3rd law in action. Kick it, and it kicks back!
2006-09-13 09:05:07 · answer #5 · answered by Morgy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It starts the same way, as on earth. Forces required for lift off is much smaller, but still considerable.
We have(USA) already done this few times, and chines are planing to do this very soon, followed by Indian's latter.
2006-09-13 09:39:29 · answer #6 · answered by minootoo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. When you eject burning fuel at an extremely high rate out of one end of a rocket, in order to conserve momentum, the rocket has to travel in the opposite direction at a slower rate.
Big mass (rocket) * small speed = small mass (burning fuel) * big speed
2006-09-13 09:06:14 · answer #7 · answered by Mr. E 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course! But the main opposing force, gravity is less as compared to earth and hence you don't need to explode your engines, like we normally do here in earth based launch pads.
2006-09-13 09:38:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋