Neglecting gravity,doubling the exhaust velocity from a single stage rocket initially at rest changes the final velocity attainable by what factor? Assume all other variables,such as the mass of the rocket and the mass of the fuel,do not change.
A)The final velocity stays the same.
B)The final velocity doubles.
C)The final velocity increases by a factor of 0.693.
D)The final velocity increases by a factor of 0.310.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the rocket equation, the final velocity attainable by a rocket is given by:
Δv = ve * ln(m0/mf)
where ve is the exhaust velocity, m0 is the initial mass (rocket + fuel), and mf is the final mass (rocket only).
Assuming all other variables remain constant, doubling ve would result in:
Δv' = 2ve * ln(m0/mf) = 2 * Δv
Thus, the final velocity would double. Therefore, the correct choice is B.

Neglecting Gravity,doubling the Exhaust Velocity from a Single Stage Rocket