Question 2

A rocket utilises fuel which is combusted in a large reservoir to provide thrust for the rocket's

flight. The hot exhaust gasses from the fuel flows through a converging-diverging nozzle, before

it is exhausted to the atmosphere at a high velocity. The temperature of the flow at the exit

is 1950 K, while the Mach number at the exit is 4.4. The cross-sectional area of the throat is

4880 mm², and the pressure within the reservoir is 8 bar. If the mass of fuel that is available

for combustion is 1.6 tonnes, calculate how long it will take for the fuel to run out. [10 marks]

The molar mass of the fuel is 26 g/mol, and the ratio of specific heats for the fuel is k = 1.3.