Find maximum thrust of a rocket blasting off

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the maximum thrust of a rocket during its vertical launch. The rocket has a mass of 2.49×10^4 kg and accelerates at 15.42 m/s², with an instrument inside that has a maximum tension of 37.3 N. Participants clarify that thrust acts upwards while gravitational force acts downwards, and they discuss how to apply Newton's laws to find the net force. There is confusion about whether the calculated force is net force or thrust, emphasizing the need to consider both the weight of the rocket and the tension in the wire. Ultimately, the goal is to determine the maximum vertical thrust without exceeding the tension limit of the instrument.
RUphysics3
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Homework Statement



A 2.49×104-kg rocket blasts off vertically from the Earth's surface with a constant acceleration. During the motion considered in the problem, assume thatg remains constant. Inside the rocket, a 14.5-N instrument hangs from a wire that can support a maximum tension of 37.3 N .

I found that :

Acceleration = 15.42 m/s^2

Find the minimum time for this rocket to reach the sound barrier (330m/s) without breaking the inside wire.

The answer to this was 21.4 .

How far is the rocket above the Earth's surface when it breaks the sound barrier?
3530 m.

Now I have to find the maximum vertical thrust of the rocket engines under these conditions.

Homework Equations


I tried using F=ma and some basic kinematics.

The Attempt at a Solution



Using F=ma...
i tried F=(2.49x10^4) * 15.42 . This wasn't correct.
 
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Tension acts on the instrument and on the rocket. (Downwards on rocket and upwards on the instrument) Let acceleration of rocket be ##a##. Since the string is inextensible, the instrument will also have same acceleration. Write Newtons law equation for both rocket and instrument.
 
RUphysics3 said:
F=(2.49x10^4) * 15.42 . This wasn't correct.

Is this the net force on the rocket or the thrust force?
 
Mister T said:
Is this the net force on the rocket or the thrust force?
Well it's a vertical launch..So wouldn't it be the same thing? the only component is in the y direction.. I don't really understand thrust that well. I think it's something like thrust comes out the bottom of the rocket and propels it upwards so the thrust acts upwards? I really don't know
 
Titan97 said:
Tension acts on the instrument and on the rocket. (Downwards on rocket and upwards on the instrument) Let acceleration of rocket be ##a##. Since the string is inextensible, the instrument will also have same acceleration. Write Newtons law equation for both rocket and instrument.
What do you mean?
So for the rocket it would be F=(2.49x10^4) * 15.42
For the instrument.. F=(14.5N/9.81) * 15.42 ? Now what?
 
RUphysics3 said:
Well it's a vertical launch..So wouldn't it be the same thing? the only component is in the y direction.. I don't really understand thrust that well. I think it's something like thrust comes out the bottom of the rocket and propels it upwards so the thrust acts upwards? I really don't know

Thrust is the exhaust gas pushing upward on the rocket. Gravitational force (weight) is Earth pulling downward on the rocket.
 
Mister T said:
Thrust is the exhaust gas pushing upward on the rocket. Gravitational force (weight) is Earth pulling downward on the rocket.
So weight would be the mass times 9.8. But i did mass * acceleration..Okay.. so should I find weight of the rocket and subtract that from the upward thrust?
 
RUphysics3 said:
So weight would be the mass times 9.8. But i did mass * acceleration..Okay.. so should I find weight of the rocket and subtract that from the upward thrust?
To get the net force, yes.
 
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