Question

A rocket burns fuel to create hot gases that explode violently out of the rocket engine. This explosion creates thrust. Thrust is a force that pushes the rocket upward. What force must thrust overcome in order to send a rocket up into space?

Answer 1

Answer:

Thrust due to fuel consumption must overcome gravitational force from the Earth to send the rocket up into space.

Explanation:

From the concept of Escape Velocity, derived from Newton's Law of Gravitation, definition of Work, Work-Energy Theorem and Principle of Energy Conservation, which is the minimum speed such that rocket can overcome gravitational forces exerted by the Earth, and according to the Tsiolkovski's Rocket Equation, which states that thrust done by the rocket is equal to the change in linear momentum of the rocket itself, we conclude that thrust due to fuel consumption must overcome gravitational force from the Earth to send the rocket up into space.