The Physics of Jet Skiing


http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/personal-watercraft1.htm

How do jet skiis work?
A jet ski engine works in a similar fashion as a rocket engine. The jet skiis movement through the water mimics the rockets movement through air.

The engine
Water moves through a steering nozzle on the back end of the watercraft from underneath. The water is moved by an impeller. The impeller is controlled by a drive shaft and has curved blades. The blades force water through the intake grate and out through the steering nozzle.

Steering
A cable connects the handles at the front of the craft to the steering nozzle at the back of the craft.

Newton's 3rd Law
The law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the water moves backwards out of the steering nozzle at the end of the craft, in order to obey Newton's law means there must be an equal and opposite reaction. This is evident in that the craft moves forward as the water moves backward. Steering the craft also applies to Newton's 3rd law. When the steering pushes the water out to the right then the craft must turn to the left and vice versa as it also is an equal and opposite reaction.

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