This lesson will investigate how rocketry works, and the role of Newton's Second and Third Laws of Motion in explaining rocket motion.
What do balloons have to do with rockets? Find out in this episode of ISS Science with Astronaut Randy Bresnik.
Learn how piston engines, jet engines, and rocket engines all depend on the same basic principles to produce thrust.
Learn how propellers generate thrust.
Explore how rocket engines generate thrust.
Learn about how the spirals of air that trail off the tips of an airplane's wings also contribute to drag.
The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate Newton's 3rd Law of Motion, which is the physical law that governs thrust in aircraft. The students will do several activities that show that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.