Physics Force and Motion

Question

The mass of a bullet is .300 kg. The bullet leaves the barrel of a gun with a speed of 650 m/s. Suppose that a constant force is applied on the bullet during the 3.0 x 10–3 s that the bullet spends in the gun’s barrel. What force acts on the bullet while it is in the gun’s barrel?

Answer 1

Solve this as an impulse problem.

Ft = mv - mv₀ = m(v - v₀)

v₀ = initial speed = 0

m = mass (given)

v = final speed (given)

t = duration of force (given)

F = applied force = ?

Ft = mv

F = mv/t

Plug in the numbers and get F in newtons.