A water rocket is a type of model rocket using water as its reaction mass , The water is forced out by a pressurized gas, typically compressed air. Water rocket engines are most commonly used to drive model rockets, but have also been used in model boats, cars, and rocket-assisted glide,The term "
How Water Rockets Work
A water rocket works using the same principles as other rockets. There are three main forces in action: thrust (Fapp), drag (Ffr) and weight (w=mg). The water, which is forced out by the difference between internal and atmospheric pressure, is a reaction mass that provides the thrust. All rockets have a reaction mass, which can vary from hot gasses that are expelled when a fuel is burnt (in the Space Shuttle's SRB's for example) to water in a water rocket. The air molecules moving along the side of the rocket as it is moving create friction and result in the drag force (the drag attempts to slow the rocket down and so acts in the opposite direction as the velocity of the rocket). Weight is simply the mass of the rocket multiplied by gravity and applies to all objects within a gravitational field. Again, this force works against the rocket?s thrust, trying to bring the rocket back down to Earth.
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