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Why is the speed of a recoiling gun less than the speed of the fired bullet?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Newton said "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." The action is pushing the bullet in one direction. Reaction is the gun being pushed in the other. The energy is speed times mass. The gun masses much more than the bullet, and so will move proportionately slower than the bullet. Which is a very good thing- or the recoil of the gun would kill the shooter.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
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How fast will a bullet fired straight up be traveling when it returns to earth?
Without air resistance, it would have the same speed at which it was fired up (this follows from conservation of energy). However, in practice there is always air resistance, so the speed at which it returns will be less.
Why does a bullet have less momentum fired from a short barrel vs long barrel?
At the instant the gun fires, the bullet is at rest- speed zero. As the expanding gasses from the burning gunpowder reach the bullet, they begin pushing the bullet up the barrel. It's speed is increasing- and the longer the push, the higher the speed. There IS a point of diminishing returns- where a barrel LONGER than the perfect length begins to slow the bullet- you have used all the expanding gasses, and now friction is slowing the bullet. If you had a barrel 20 ft long, the bullet would not make it all the way up the barrel, it would stop.For barrels on any realistically-usable weapon, a longer barrel will provide more momentum to the bullet than a shorter one. In addition, longer rifled barrels will also impart more spin, which will increase accuracy.
Why does a gunner feel a backward jerk when firing a gun?
This is conservation of momentum. You have the hot gases from the explosive charge along with the bullet moving out the barrel, away from the person. Momentum is mass times velocity. While the mass of the bullet and gases are small, the velocity is very high. So nothing was moving before the trigger was pulled, so net momentum is zero. After the trigger is pulled, the momentum is still net zero. Any momentum away from the gunner will have an equal momentum (the gun recoiling) toward him. Since the gun has much more mass than the bullet, the velocity is much less.
If someone fires a 110 grain 38 caliber bullet straight up at 300 meters per s how high will the bullet rise how fast will it be going when it hits the ground?
If mechanical energy is conserved (like, if you did this on the Moon, where there is practically no air), when the bullet gets back to the ground it must have the same speed with which it started out. In practice, it will be less, due to air resistance.
What is the speed of a 380 acp bullet falling straight down?
Falling, and not tumbling end over end, the bullet will accelerate (due to gravity) at 32 ft per second- per second- until it reaches the terminal velocity- limited by air resistance- around 300 mph. If tumbling end over end, more air resistance, less speed- about 225 mps MAXIMUM.
How fast will a bullet fired straight up be traveling when it returns to earth?
Without air resistance, it would have the same speed at which it was fired up (this follows from conservation of energy). However, in practice there is always air resistance, so the speed at which it returns will be less.
If you fired a gun in space would you accelerate in the opposite direction at the same speed as the bullet?
No. Assuming you have a gun that can fire in space, you would travel in the opposite direction, conserving momentum, but because you are more massive than the bullet, your speed in the opposite direction would be less. Momentum is mass*velocity, so your speed should be less than the bullet's by the same factor as the ratio of the bullet's mass to your own. You would also start rotating unless your shot was perfectly aligned with your center of mass.If that's not convincing, consider what happens if you shoot a bullet straight into the air. Does the earth move in the opposite direction at the same speed?
Why is a phone cord coiled?
So that it takes up less space, and is self recoiling.
Why does a bullet have less momentum fired from a short barrel vs long barrel?
At the instant the gun fires, the bullet is at rest- speed zero. As the expanding gasses from the burning gunpowder reach the bullet, they begin pushing the bullet up the barrel. It's speed is increasing- and the longer the push, the higher the speed. There IS a point of diminishing returns- where a barrel LONGER than the perfect length begins to slow the bullet- you have used all the expanding gasses, and now friction is slowing the bullet. If you had a barrel 20 ft long, the bullet would not make it all the way up the barrel, it would stop.For barrels on any realistically-usable weapon, a longer barrel will provide more momentum to the bullet than a shorter one. In addition, longer rifled barrels will also impart more spin, which will increase accuracy.
Is it true that if there is more smokeless powder in a bullet and is fired it will make the barrel hotter rather than a bullet with less smokeless powder?
Yes. The more powder the bigger the bang and the faster the bullet moves. The faster the bullet goes, the more heat energy it will generate because of friction, and the initial blast from the powder.
How far does a bullet drop at 1000 yards?
There is no one answer, since there is no one bullet. The drop of a bullet is a function of the speed- how long it took to get to 1000 yards. Some bullets will not TRAVEL 1000 yards. All other things being equal, the faster bullet will drop less.
Is lighting faster than bullet?
No. Guns usually shoot at the speed of 896 per hour, which far less than that of light.
How far will a 38 caliber bullet travel?
To some extent, this will depend on the weapon that fires the cartridge. Assuming that your question relates to the .38 Special cartridge, when fired from a 4 inch barreled revolver, the bullet would have a maximum range of about 1800 meters. This would be when the barrel was elevated at about a 45 degree angle. The effective range (usable) would be less than 100 meters. If fired from a rifle (yes, there are rifles that will fire a .38 Special) the range would be greater than if fired from a revolver. If fired from a 2 inch barreled (snub nosed) revolver, the max range would be less.
What causes a bullet to spin when fired?
Rifling in the barrel is actually grooves cut into the barrel by the manufacturer to cause the bullet to spin as it leaves the barrel. Before rifling the bullets would tend to tumble when they left the barrel causing them to have shorter range and be less accurate.
Why does a handgun round become less effective than a rifle bullet over a long distance?
Handgun projectiles are fired through shorter barrels which lead to a reduced production of muzzle energy.
When a gun is firedwhy it recoils?
Newton's Law- for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the bullet is pushed forward out of the barrel, then the gun is pushed back by an equal amount. That is recoil, or "kick". The amount is based on the weight and speed of the bullet, and the weight of the gun. All things being equal, a light bullet kicks less than a heavy bullet, and a heavy gun kicks less than a lighweight gun.
How powerful is a 9mm bullet?
Technically, a 9mm bullet has NO energy, since the bullet is the metal part that leaves the muzzle of the gun when fired. However, the 9mm Parabellum cartridge does have energy. The exact energy varies with the loading of that cartridge- but about 420 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle. Typically this is more than a .38 Special cartridge, less than a .357 Magnum cartridge.
