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I don't actually know, but most engines are using gas from outside of the fuel source. I suppose perhaps they use a stored gas, given that they'd need it in space, or perhaps couldn't "grab" enough for the huge amount of fuel they're using.

That said I'm aware of plenty of situations where similar things occur, I still find it very interesting.



Rockets don't use anything from outside. Otherwise they wouldn't work in space too well, since it's a vacuum.


Perhaps you didn't read my full comment.


Maybe I didn't understand it, but I read the whole thing. "I suppose perhaps" is pretty far from a statement of certainty, if that's the part you think I missed.


Rockets contains both oxidizer and fuel in liquid or solid forms, sometimes separated and sometimes even in one substance (monopropellants). Combustion products are gaseous, and gases tend to take more space than solids or liquids.


Of course, if the combustion products didn't take up more space, the rocket would be remarkable in its ineffectiveness...


The heat of combustion will also cause more space to be taken up.


The key difference between a rocket engine and other types of engine is that rocket engines only use chemicals that are stored onboard. If it needs gas from outside then by definition it's not really a rocket.


Come on, it's not rocket science.




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