Don’t forget to write your SUMMARY 
Topic: The Science of Rockets Ch. 8.1 page 258-263
LEFT SIDE 
1. What is a rocket? A device that expels gas in one direction in order to move in the opposite
direction
2. How did rockets get their start? –Originated in China in the 1100s and gradually spread to other
parts of the world – Were first used for military purposes and fireworks
3. – the British further developed the rockers in the 1800s
4. When did today’s rockets come into the picture? Early 1900s during and after WWII
5. Who helped their development? (list 3 scientist) 1- Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, 2- Robert Goddard,
3- Wernher von Braun
6. How do rockets work? It moves forward when gases shooting out the back of the rocket push it
in the opposite direction
7. Draw a picture to illustrate how rockets work.
8. Is there another name for Reaction Force? Yes, Thrust.
9. What effects the rocket’s thrust? Mass & Speed of the gases propelled out of the rocket. The
greater the thrust, the greater the rocker’s velocity.
10. Velocity – Speed in a specific direction, ex. 15 mph West
11. What makes it lift off of the ground? Rocket has more upward thrust than downward force of
gravity.
12. Orbital Velocity – the velocity a rocket must have to establish an orbit around the Earth
13. What happened if the rocket has too much? Too little velocity? TOO MUCH: rocket flys off into
space, TOO LITTLE: Earth’s gravity will pull is back down to the surface
14. Escape Velocity – amount of velocity a rocket must reach to fly beyond a planet’s gravitational
pull
15. Identify 3 types of rocket fuel. 1- Solid, 2- Liquid, 3- Electrically charged particles of gas (ions)
16. List a similarity between solid & liquid fuel. Both contain oxygen which allows the fuel to burn
17. How do ion rockets work? –they don’t burn chemical fuels – expel fast ions at very high speeds –
typically create less thrust but are very fuel efficient
18. What is a big advantage to multistage rockets? Total weight of the rocket is reduced as the
rocket rises
19. How does a multistage rocket work? As each stage uses up its fuel, the empty containers fall
away. Then the next stage ignites and continues powering the rocker towards its destination
20. How are multistage rockets used today? Used to launch a wide variety of satellites and space
probes