Science
How do rockets work?
Rockets work by Newton's third law: they burn fuel to blast gas downward at high speed, and the equal-and-opposite reaction pushes the rocket up. Because they carry their own oxygen, they work even in the vacuum of space.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how rockets works.
Step by step
- 1Burning fuel + oxidizer creates high-pressure exhaust gas.
- 2The engine forces that gas out the back at huge speed (action).
- 3The reaction force pushes the rocket forward/up (Newton's third law).
- 4Carrying their own oxidizer lets rockets work in space, where there's no air.
Frequently asked questions
- How do rockets work in space with no air?
- They carry their own oxidizer, so they don't need air to burn fuel, and thrust comes from expelling gas — not pushing on air.
- What is thrust?
- The forward force produced by expelling exhaust gas backward at high speed.
- Why are rockets staged?
- Dropping empty fuel tanks (stages) sheds dead weight, so the remaining rocket accelerates more efficiently.