Rocket Propulsion

A Rocket is is a kind of flying vehicle used by astronauts, space

explorers. Others are used as weapons, fired by anything from tanks to
airplanes. The propulsion of all dierent types of rockets no matter how
complex the propulsion system is depends on a simple physical
concept : Newton's third law of motion.

The rocket works in way such that it expels small amounts of matter
backward with very high speed gaining a large amount of momentum
(P), and since the rocket can be considered as an isolated system in
terms of momentum and according to the law of conservation of linear
momentum the rocket receives an amount of momentum equals to that
of the ejected ones producing a force called Thrust that pushes the
rocket in the forward direction satisfying Sir Isaacs third law which
states For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Most rockets typically consists of a chemical rocket engines which is

designed to resist high temperatures and pressure, the nozzle which its
design determines the mass flow rate and exhaust velocity, a propellent
which includes fuel to be burnt and an oxidising agent or a source of
oxygen gas other than the atmosphere thus the rocket can be used in
space, a holder for the components, dierent controlling systems and
the payload to launch i.e a satellite or weapons.

An exothermic oxidation-reduction chemical reaction generally referred

to as exothermal redox reaction occurs inside the rocket motor
( engine ) generating very hot gases which are absorbed by the
propellents in a cramped area of the space which is called the
Combustion Chamber.The hot gasses produce pressure higher than
the surrounding atmosphere flowing a narrowing hole called the throat
then flow out of the Nozzle at very high speed producing a force
Thrust overcoming the inertia of the rocket and where the exhaust
gases gain acceleration and causing the motion of the rocket.It is worth
noting that the combustion chamber must be designed carefully to
withstand high pressure and it also needs to be of enough length to be
certain that the reaction has been fully completed before the gases flow
to throat then to the nozzle.

The equation of the thrust force of the rocket can be derived from the law of
conservation of momentum

The equation of the velocity of the rocket at a certain time can also be
derived using newtons second law which states The time rate of change of
the linear momentum of a particle is equal to the net force acting on the
particle thus its mathematical formula is

F = d(mv)/dt

In typical cases where the mass is constant it is expressed as

F = m dv/dt

but since in the rocket is changing with time we can make a more general
form of the law

F = dv/dt m + dm/dt v