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How does rocket propulsion work?

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Abstract

The most common answer to the above question is — hot jet of gas comes out of the nozzle of the rocket engine at high speeds and as a reaction the rocket moves (is propelled) in the opposite direction [1]. But is this answer right? Let us explore what goes on inside a rocket engine and arrive at the right answer.

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Suggested Reading

  1. Gilbert Rowell and Sidney Herbert, Physics, Cambridge University Press, pp.80–81, 1987. (Though many physics textbooks give similar explanations, this above text is picked purely at random)

  2. G K Batchelor, Introduction to Fluid Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, 1967.

  3. George P Sutton, Oscar Biblarz, Rocket propulsion elements, 7th ed., Wiley, 2000.

  4. Martin J L Turner, Rocket and Spacecraft Propulsion, 3rd ed., Springer, 2009.

  5. Jack D Mattingly, Elements of propulsion, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., 2006.

  6. V Sharadha and Jaywant H Arakeri, Propulsion of the Putt-Putt Boat — I, Resonance, Vol.9, No.6, pp.66–73, 2004.

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  7. V Sharadha, Propulsion of the Putt-Putt Boat — II, Resonance, Vol.9, No.7, pp.64–69, 2004.

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Correspondence to Chandrahas M. Halai.

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Halai, C.M. How does rocket propulsion work?. Reson 16, 65–68 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-011-0010-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-011-0010-7

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