Welcome to rocket propulsion! Rockets work based on Newton's Third Law of Motion. When a rocket engine burns fuel, it creates hot gas that is expelled downward at high speed. This downward action creates an equal and opposite reaction that pushes the rocket upward. This is the fundamental principle behind all rocket propulsion.
Let's examine what happens inside the rocket engine. In the combustion chamber, fuel and oxidizer are mixed together and ignited. This creates a rapid combustion process that produces hot gases at extremely high pressure. These pressurized gases expand in all directions, but they can only escape through the nozzle at the bottom, creating the thrust that propels the rocket forward.
Newton's Third Law is the key to understanding rocket propulsion. When the rocket engine expels hot gas downward with a certain force, an equal and opposite force pushes the rocket upward. This is not just a concept - it's a precise mathematical relationship. The thrust force equals the exhaust force in magnitude but acts in the opposite direction.
现在让我们来看完整的发射序列。首先,火箭引擎点火,推力开始增强。当推力大于火箭重量加上大气阻力时,火箭开始向上加速。持续喷射废气维持这种向上加速度,使火箭克服重力到达太空。
To summarize what we've learned about rocket propulsion: Rockets operate on Newton's Third Law, where expelled gas creates thrust. The combustion chamber efficiently burns fuel and oxidizer to generate high-pressure gas. When thrust exceeds the rocket's weight and atmospheric resistance, successful launch occurs. This fundamental principle has enabled humanity to explore space and deploy satellites around Earth.