A sharpshooter fires a rifle while standing with the butt of the gun against her shoulder. If the forward momentum of a bullet is the same as the backward momentum of the gun, why isn't it as dangerous to be hit by the gun as by the bullet?

Question

Hazel Benjamin

Physics

16 March, 07:35

A sharpshooter fires a rifle while standing with the butt of the gun against her shoulder. If the forward momentum of a bullet is the same as the backward momentum of the gun, why isn't it as dangerous to be hit by the gun as by the bullet?

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Answers (1)

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Samir Wilkins · Answer 1

The bullet accelerates more than the gun

Explanation:

The forward momentum of a bullet is the same as the backward momentum of the gun, but it is more dangerous to be hit by the gun than by the bullet because the velocity of the bullet after the gun was fired will be much more than the velocity of the gun going backwards. That's because the gun has a bigger mass and therefore a smaller acceleration while the bullet has a smaller mass and therefore a bigger acceleration.