April 23, 2009

Science of Fireworks - Rockets

The basic principle behind every rocket is Newton's Second Law: "To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction".

A rocket throws mass in one direction and is propelled in the other direction.

The mass comes from the weight of the black powder that the rocket engine burns. The burning accelerates the mass of fuel so that it shoots out of the rocket nozzle at high speed. The fact that the fuel turns from a solid into a gas when it burns does not change its mass, because all the oxygen needed for combustion is contained within the rocket's fuel.

One of the most crucial things about making a rocket is establishing how much force it needs to take off and rise to the required height to explode safely above the ground. For the rocket to be propelled, it is necessary to generate a force greater than gravity. This will lift the rocket off the ground safely and give us the effect at a safe height.