What is a rocket engine?
Q: What is a rocket engine?
A: A rocket engine is a device that produces a force by pushing gases at high speed out of a nozzle.
Q: How does a rocket engine work?
A: Rocket engines burn chemicals such as petroleum and liquid oxygen at very high pressures and temperatures to turn the chemical energy into motion.
Q: What kind of force does a rocket engine create?
A: In some cases (such as NASA rockets), the force created can be over 1,000,000 pounds-force (4,400,000 newtons).
Q: How can a garden hose demonstrate the concept of force?
A: When a hose is turned up the hose will snake around unless it is held still. The exiting water is creating a force on the hose just like how the rocket engine gases push on the rocket engine.
Q: What fuel types are burned in rocket engines?
A: Rocket engines burn chemicals such as petroleum and liquid oxygen.
Q: What happens to the chemical energy used in rocket engines?
A: The chemical energy is converted into motion.
Q: How fast do gases need to be pushed out of a rocket engine nozzle to create a force?
A: Gases need to be pushed out of a rocket engine nozzle at high speed to create a force.
