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Is it possible to power rockets with power instead of gas? Like a car powered by energy instead of gas.?

I get it, there is no ground for the rocket to put wheels on, but is it possible with one without a ground needed to travel, like a plug that travels across a house without any wires.

Update:

Like a wireless charger to a phone.

Update 2:

but with no end for the power to travel to, but to just travel.

10 Answers

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  • 2 years ago

    There is a type of rocket engine which accelerates ions to extreme speed, for reaction mass, using an electric field. Such an engine does require power, from a battery, solar panel, or a generator. The ones built so far do not provide a lot of thrust, and can only be used after you get into space.

  • 2 years ago

    Correct. All you need is power. After a while you get energy from that and you're set.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    2 years ago

    Typical rocket fuel does TWO things:

    1. It burns to release energy.

    2. That energy accelerates, ejects the mass of the burnt fuel as a propulsion device.

    So you could use some other source of energy but you still need a mass to accelerate, eject. Theoretically, you could use a smaller amount of mass if you could accelerate it to a higher velocity, approaching zero mass as you get close to light speed.

  • 2 years ago

    Yes, but consider that power would have to have enough kinetic energy to displace the mass of your rocket.

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  • Anonymous
    2 years ago

    Get yourself a pop gun. (Or a water pistol).

  • 2 years ago

    All rockets must obey conservative of momentum. In order for it to accelerate forward, some mass has to be shot out the back. The greater the velocity of the exhaust, the greater the forward acceleration of the rocket.

  • 2 years ago

    Power, or energy, is that force that holds electrons to the nucleus of an atom. To get the power out, you need to knock electrons loose. You figure how to to contain power in an inert state and you can do that. At this point you cannot.

  • 2 years ago

    First, rockets are NOT all powered by "gas (gasoline)" although liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen are common.

    And don't you think a rocket generates power? they generate a huge amount of power else they would not work.

    And the gasoline used in a car generates a lot of power.

    So your question makes no sense.

    And why would you put wheels on a rocket?

    And I never saw a plug travel across a house ???

  • 2 years ago

    Yes.

  • Anonymous
    2 years ago

    Don't wait for Stockholm to call.

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