Final answer:
To find the fuel/oxidizer consumption rate, use the principle of conservation of momentum and the kinetic energy equation. The initial acceleration of the rocket can be found by dividing the weight of the rocket by its mass. The weight of the rocket remains constant, but the acceleration changes over time due to the decrease in mass as fuel is consumed.
Step-by-step explanation:
1. What must be the fuel/oxidizer consumption rate (in kg/s)?
To find the fuel/oxidizer consumption rate, we can make use of the principle of conservation of momentum. Assuming the initial velocity of the rocket is zero, and the final velocity of the gas particles is 1380 m/s, we can equate the change in momentum of the rocket to the total momentum of the gas particles. The mass of the gas particles can be calculated using the kinetic energy equation, and then we can find the fuel/oxidizer consumption rate by dividing the mass by the time taken.
2. If the initial weight of the rocket is 125,000 N, what is its initial acceleration?
The weight of the rocket is equal to the force acting on it due to gravity, which is given by the mass of the rocket multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity. Therefore, we can find the initial acceleration by dividing the weight of the rocket by its mass.
3. What are the weight and acceleration of the rocket at t = 15.0 seconds after ignition?
The weight of the rocket remains constant throughout the flight, as it is determined by the mass of the rocket and the acceleration due to gravity. However, the acceleration of the rocket changes over time due to the decrease in mass as fuel is consumed. We can calculate the acceleration at t = 15.0 seconds by dividing the net force acting on the rocket by its mass.
4. What are the weight and acceleration of the rocket at t = 20.0 seconds after ignition?
Similar to the previous question, we can calculate the weight of the rocket using the same equation. The acceleration at t = 20.0 seconds can be found by dividing the net force acting on the rocket by its mass.