How does Newton's Third Law relate to the flight of a rocket?

The rationale behind the answer lies in Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the context of rocketry, when a rocket expels exhaust gases downward at high speed, it generates an upward thrust due to the reaction force.

This thrust propels the rocket into the air. The action of the rocket pushing the exhaust gases downward results in the opposite reaction of the rocket itself being pushed upward. Thus, the rocket flies as it is propelled in the opposite direction of the exhaust jet.

The other options, while they address aspects of rocket flight, do not encapsulate the core principle derived from Newton's Third Law. For instance, the reference to gravitational pull does not explain how the thrust generated by the rocket operates in relation to its propulsion. Using stored energy effectively refers to energy management within the rocket and doesn’t specifically discuss the mechanism of action and reaction that is fundamental to the flight. Additionally, suggesting that the rocket is pushed in the direction of the exhaust jet misinterprets the direction of forces at play in this scenario.