Jet Engine

flight · machines · engineering

Push from a blast. A jet engine works by shooting a fast jet of heated gas backward, which pushes the engine (and the plane) forward. This is called thrust.

Reaction engine. It's a 'reaction engine' because every action has an equal and opposite reaction, just like letting go of a blown-up balloon.

Breathing air. Most jet engines are 'air-breathing,' meaning they suck in air to burn their fuel, unlike rockets which carry their own oxygen.

Many types. There are several kinds, including turbojets, turbofans, ramjets, pulse jets, and super-fast scramjets.