How does a rocket engine manage to apply a force to a spaceship in the vacuum of outer space? Physics help?

Some people used to think that a spaceship could not maneuver over once it left the Earth 's atmosphere because it would have no air to push against, obviously, this thinking must be wrong since rocket engines have been used to steer vehicles through space since the late 1950s. how does a rocket engine manage to apply a force to a spaceship in the vacuum of outer space?How does a rocket engine manage to apply a force to a spaceship in the vacuum of outer space? Physics help?
The rocket does not depend on an atmosphere to provide movement - it is dependent on Newton's law of momentum - for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The rocket ';pushes'; against the enclosed portion of the rocket engine, and does not push against the nozzle, therefore the reaction is in the direction of the shuttle (or rocket).How does a rocket engine manage to apply a force to a spaceship in the vacuum of outer space? Physics help?
A splendidly verbose explanation that is confusing and wrong! Report Abuse

The rocket is not pushing against air (as you rightly figured), but as the fuel burns it pushes against the rocket and, in accordance with Newton's third law of motion, there is an equal yet opposite force. This force propels the craft.
As simply as I can make it:


When the fuel shoots out as high velocity exhaust, there is


pressure in both directions at the nozzle.


The fuel goes one way fast, the rocket goes the other somewhat slower.
Conservation of momentum.





-F





EDIT: Which is what the next few answers are trying to say as well, but not as concisely.