Rockets Changing Direction
Most recent answer: 10/22/2007
Q:
If there is no propulsion is space, how does a rocket turn in mid-flight?
- Richard (age 27)
London
- Richard (age 27)
London
A:
Im not sure where you heard that theres no propulsion in space.
Youre right that without some force on them, rockets couldnt turn
directions. But even in space, there is a force (propulsion) on a
rocket. Its the force between the rocket and whatever its exhaust is-
typically some sort of gas. If the rocket changes direction a little,
you know that the exhaust must be expelled in a direct opposite to that
change. Thats because Newtons third law says that the force the
rocket exerts on the exhaust is opposite to the force the exhaust
exerts on the rocket. Another way of putting that is that momentum is
conserved.
Mike
Mike
(published on 10/22/2007)