Rockets use Newton's third law to provide thrust. The rocket ejects stored mass. The force applied to the mass in order to eject it is applied to the rocket as well creating forward momentum. The mass being "reaction mass", also known as "propellant" and "remass".
Fuel is what generates the energy to accelerate the remass.
In chemical rockets it is a chemical reaction such as combustion that supplies the energy, using an oxidizing agent and fuel
Last Updated 15/6/22
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