Which of Newtons Laws best describes the behavior of a rocket motor?
• Newton’s First Law: Every body continues in its state of rest or of uniform motion in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it. • Newton’s Second Law: The rate of change of momentum is proportional to the force impressed and is in the same direction as that force. • Newton’s Third Law: To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction. • How does Newton’s Third Law “To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction” relate to rocketry? • That the blast deflector must be strong enough to push the rocket off the launch pad at ignition. • That a rocket flies because the rocket motor “pushes” the rocket in a direction opposite of the exhaust jet. • That the thrust of a rocket motor is proportional to the air density at the launch site. • What are the three forces acting upon a rocket during the course of its flight? • Thrust, rocket diameter and finish. • Nose cone shape, thrust and drag. • Gravity, thrust and aerod
