How do jet engines produce thrust?

Jet engines generate thrust primarily through the expulsion of exhaust gases at high speed. This process is rooted in Newton’s third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. As the engine draws in air and compresses it, fuel is injected and ignited. The resulting high-temperature and high-pressure combustion gases are expelled out of the engine’s nozzle with great force.

The rapid expulsion of these exhaust gases produces a forward thrust that propels the aircraft in the opposite direction. The efficiency of this process is further enhanced by the design of the engine's nozzle, which accelerates the exhaust gases to supersonic speeds.

Other methodologies, such as creating lift through wing design, using propellers for propulsion, or thermal diffusion, do not directly produce the thrust referenced in the question. Each of those alternatives operates based on different principles and components within aviation, highlighting the unique function and efficiency of jet engines in modern aircraft propulsion.