how does a rocket engine move in space??

Question

I understand that a rocket releases gasses that propel it forward this makes sense where there is an atmosphere. In the vacuum of space there is nothing for the gasses to push against??

Answer 1

The motion of a rocket is much like the motion of a balloon losing air. When the balloon is sealed, the air inside pushes on the entire interior surface of the balloon with equal force. If there is an opening in the balloon’s surface, the air pressure becomes unbalanced, and the escaping air becomes a backward movement balanced by the forward movement of the balloon.

Rockets produce the force that moves them forward by burning their fuel inside a chamber in the rocket and then expelling the hot exhaust that results. Rockets carry their own fuel and the oxygen used for burning their fuel. In liquid-fueled rockets, the fuel and oxygen-bearing substance (called the oxidizer) are in separate compartments. The fuel is mixed with the oxygen and ignited inside a combustion chamber. The rocket, like the balloon, has an opening called a nozzle from which the exhaust gases exit. A rocket nozzle is a cup-shaped device that flares out smoothly like a funnel inside the end of the rocket. The nozzle directs the rocket exhaust and causes it to come out faster, increasing the thrust and efficiency of the rocket.

Some early scientists believed that rocket exhaust needed something to push against (such as the ground or the air) in order to move the rocket. Rockets traveling in the vacuum of space, however, demonstrated that this belief was not true. In fact, rockets produce more thrust in the vacuum of space than on Earth. Air pressure and friction with the air reduce a rocket’s thrust by about 10 percent on Earth as compared to the rocket’s performance in space.

Answer 2

Newton's third law accounts for this. For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction.

Since hot gases are expelled in one direction, a force of equal strength is developed in the opposite direction. The gases do not need to push against anything, the gas has a certain mass (and so does the rocket). The action of the gases being shot in one direction causes the rocket to move in the opposite direction. It doesn't need to push off of a surface (or surrounding atmospheric gases) at all to have this effect.

Answer 3

Newton had it right - for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
When the hot gasses are released, the opposite force is against the rocket - they do not have to push against anything else.

Answer 4

In effect the rocket engines are throwing mass out the back. To conserve momentum some mass must move the opposite way. This mass is the rocket.

Answer 5

Newton's law of action & reaction still applies in space. Although they will usually use the graviational pull of objects to sling shot a satellite. Injection angles & velocity will ultimately determine a satellite's orbit.

Answer 6

Jet propulsion or thrust.

Answer 7

m1v1=m2v2 it is a matter of momentums, not pushing against anything.

Answer 8

uh.......... the gases are pushing against the rocket "jeanus"

Answer 9

very fast