When the CG is located aft of the CP, what behavior might the rocket exhibit?

When the center of gravity (CG) of a rocket is located aft of the center of pressure (CP), it can lead to a condition known as "longitudinal instability." This situation can cause the rocket to behave erratically during flight. Specifically, when the CG is behind the CP, any disturbances—such as slight yawing or wind conditions—can result in the rocket tumbling end-over-end or following an unpredictable flight path. This instability arises because the aerodynamic forces acting on the rocket will not effectively counterbalance the moments created by the rocket’s orientation, leading to a lack of control.

In contrast, a properly balanced rocket, where the CG is in front of the CP, will experience stabilizing forces that help it maintain a straight and stable ascent. The other provided options describe behaviors not directly related to the specific aerodynamic issues caused by a CG behind the CP. For instance, while rockets can indeed experience fin loss or erratic behavior for various reasons, notably having a misplaced CG leads primarily to the tumbling or erratic behavior described, making the correct choice particularly relevant in understanding rocket stabilization principles.