Why does shooting a handgun produce a bullet of deadly speed without injury of the guns user's hand?
Momentum is defined by the product of mass and velocity. Now a projectile out of a gun has to have high velocity to penetrate a human body, as its mass isn't significant. But to reach this velocity, due to inertia/the law of energy conservation, momentum on both sides is to be equal. As there is strong negative acceleration in the opposite direction of the bullet, it should result in a strong force in the opposite direction of the bullet ($F = m*a $).
Therefore I wonder why shooting a bullet with a handgun is not ripping your hand apart.
newtonian-mechanics momentum conservation-laws collision estimation
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
add a comment |
Momentum is defined by the product of mass and velocity. Now a projectile out of a gun has to have high velocity to penetrate a human body, as its mass isn't significant. But to reach this velocity, due to inertia/the law of energy conservation, momentum on both sides is to be equal. As there is strong negative acceleration in the opposite direction of the bullet, it should result in a strong force in the opposite direction of the bullet ($F = m*a $).
Therefore I wonder why shooting a bullet with a handgun is not ripping your hand apart.
newtonian-mechanics momentum conservation-laws collision estimation
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
bullets are very small (and handgun bullets aren't that fast) compared to the mass of the shooter
– Martin Beckett
2 hours ago
1
If you ever shoot a .454 Casull, you'll find that there definitely IS a possibility of wrist injury due to the enormous recoil. Such a revolves is NOT fun to shoot.
– David White
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Momentum is defined by the product of mass and velocity. Now a projectile out of a gun has to have high velocity to penetrate a human body, as its mass isn't significant. But to reach this velocity, due to inertia/the law of energy conservation, momentum on both sides is to be equal. As there is strong negative acceleration in the opposite direction of the bullet, it should result in a strong force in the opposite direction of the bullet ($F = m*a $).
Therefore I wonder why shooting a bullet with a handgun is not ripping your hand apart.
newtonian-mechanics momentum conservation-laws collision estimation
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
Momentum is defined by the product of mass and velocity. Now a projectile out of a gun has to have high velocity to penetrate a human body, as its mass isn't significant. But to reach this velocity, due to inertia/the law of energy conservation, momentum on both sides is to be equal. As there is strong negative acceleration in the opposite direction of the bullet, it should result in a strong force in the opposite direction of the bullet ($F = m*a $).
Therefore I wonder why shooting a bullet with a handgun is not ripping your hand apart.
newtonian-mechanics momentum conservation-laws collision estimation
newtonian-mechanics momentum conservation-laws collision estimation
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
edited 2 hours ago
Qmechanic♦
101k121831149
101k121831149
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
asked 2 hours ago
Zurechtweiser
1143
1143
bullets are very small (and handgun bullets aren't that fast) compared to the mass of the shooter
– Martin Beckett
2 hours ago
1
If you ever shoot a .454 Casull, you'll find that there definitely IS a possibility of wrist injury due to the enormous recoil. Such a revolves is NOT fun to shoot.
– David White
1 hour ago
add a comment |
bullets are very small (and handgun bullets aren't that fast) compared to the mass of the shooter
– Martin Beckett
2 hours ago
1
If you ever shoot a .454 Casull, you'll find that there definitely IS a possibility of wrist injury due to the enormous recoil. Such a revolves is NOT fun to shoot.
– David White
1 hour ago
bullets are very small (and handgun bullets aren't that fast) compared to the mass of the shooter
– Martin Beckett
2 hours ago
bullets are very small (and handgun bullets aren't that fast) compared to the mass of the shooter
– Martin Beckett
2 hours ago
1
1
If you ever shoot a .454 Casull, you'll find that there definitely IS a possibility of wrist injury due to the enormous recoil. Such a revolves is NOT fun to shoot.
– David White
1 hour ago
If you ever shoot a .454 Casull, you'll find that there definitely IS a possibility of wrist injury due to the enormous recoil. Such a revolves is NOT fun to shoot.
– David White
1 hour ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
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Firstly, some guns do give quite a kick! So the effect you are thinking of is real.
However, conservation of momentum means that Mass_bullet * velocity_bullet = Mass_gun * velocity_gun. So the bullet's velocity is greater than that of the gun by a ratio of Mass_gun / Mass_bullet. Then energy is distributed in the same ratio because while energy scales as velocity squared, it also scales with the mass. So, it is useful for the gun to be heavy and/or for it to have a spring-loaded mechanism to slowly distribute the kick to your hand and body.
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
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The handgun is braced with a large surface area of the hand, and the palm and entire hand are robust; the result is that the hand, or hand and arm, or hand and upper body are sharply displaced as a whole before the motion is damped by the rest of the body.
Some details of recoil are discussed here. The recoil of rifles, which are generally more powerful, braced near the shoulder, and operated near the face, can easily cause a broken collarbone, torn rotator cuff, black eye, and/or detached retina.
Thus, whether injury occurs depends on the stress induced in vivo from the acceleration of the brace position vs. the relative strength of the nearby organs.
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
The hand (and wrist, forearm, &c) also has many flexible muscles and joints, which act as shock absorbers. Not just when firing a pistol: think of hitting something with your fist.
– jamesqf
28 mins ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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oldest
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
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active
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votes
Firstly, some guns do give quite a kick! So the effect you are thinking of is real.
However, conservation of momentum means that Mass_bullet * velocity_bullet = Mass_gun * velocity_gun. So the bullet's velocity is greater than that of the gun by a ratio of Mass_gun / Mass_bullet. Then energy is distributed in the same ratio because while energy scales as velocity squared, it also scales with the mass. So, it is useful for the gun to be heavy and/or for it to have a spring-loaded mechanism to slowly distribute the kick to your hand and body.
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
New contributor
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
Firstly, some guns do give quite a kick! So the effect you are thinking of is real.
However, conservation of momentum means that Mass_bullet * velocity_bullet = Mass_gun * velocity_gun. So the bullet's velocity is greater than that of the gun by a ratio of Mass_gun / Mass_bullet. Then energy is distributed in the same ratio because while energy scales as velocity squared, it also scales with the mass. So, it is useful for the gun to be heavy and/or for it to have a spring-loaded mechanism to slowly distribute the kick to your hand and body.
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
New contributor
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
Firstly, some guns do give quite a kick! So the effect you are thinking of is real.
However, conservation of momentum means that Mass_bullet * velocity_bullet = Mass_gun * velocity_gun. So the bullet's velocity is greater than that of the gun by a ratio of Mass_gun / Mass_bullet. Then energy is distributed in the same ratio because while energy scales as velocity squared, it also scales with the mass. So, it is useful for the gun to be heavy and/or for it to have a spring-loaded mechanism to slowly distribute the kick to your hand and body.
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
New contributor
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Firstly, some guns do give quite a kick! So the effect you are thinking of is real.
However, conservation of momentum means that Mass_bullet * velocity_bullet = Mass_gun * velocity_gun. So the bullet's velocity is greater than that of the gun by a ratio of Mass_gun / Mass_bullet. Then energy is distributed in the same ratio because while energy scales as velocity squared, it also scales with the mass. So, it is useful for the gun to be heavy and/or for it to have a spring-loaded mechanism to slowly distribute the kick to your hand and body.
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
New contributor
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
New contributor
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
answered 2 hours ago
Paul Young
313
313
New contributor
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Paul Young is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
The handgun is braced with a large surface area of the hand, and the palm and entire hand are robust; the result is that the hand, or hand and arm, or hand and upper body are sharply displaced as a whole before the motion is damped by the rest of the body.
Some details of recoil are discussed here. The recoil of rifles, which are generally more powerful, braced near the shoulder, and operated near the face, can easily cause a broken collarbone, torn rotator cuff, black eye, and/or detached retina.
Thus, whether injury occurs depends on the stress induced in vivo from the acceleration of the brace position vs. the relative strength of the nearby organs.
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
The hand (and wrist, forearm, &c) also has many flexible muscles and joints, which act as shock absorbers. Not just when firing a pistol: think of hitting something with your fist.
– jamesqf
28 mins ago
add a comment |
The handgun is braced with a large surface area of the hand, and the palm and entire hand are robust; the result is that the hand, or hand and arm, or hand and upper body are sharply displaced as a whole before the motion is damped by the rest of the body.
Some details of recoil are discussed here. The recoil of rifles, which are generally more powerful, braced near the shoulder, and operated near the face, can easily cause a broken collarbone, torn rotator cuff, black eye, and/or detached retina.
Thus, whether injury occurs depends on the stress induced in vivo from the acceleration of the brace position vs. the relative strength of the nearby organs.
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
The hand (and wrist, forearm, &c) also has many flexible muscles and joints, which act as shock absorbers. Not just when firing a pistol: think of hitting something with your fist.
– jamesqf
28 mins ago
add a comment |
The handgun is braced with a large surface area of the hand, and the palm and entire hand are robust; the result is that the hand, or hand and arm, or hand and upper body are sharply displaced as a whole before the motion is damped by the rest of the body.
Some details of recoil are discussed here. The recoil of rifles, which are generally more powerful, braced near the shoulder, and operated near the face, can easily cause a broken collarbone, torn rotator cuff, black eye, and/or detached retina.
Thus, whether injury occurs depends on the stress induced in vivo from the acceleration of the brace position vs. the relative strength of the nearby organs.
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
The handgun is braced with a large surface area of the hand, and the palm and entire hand are robust; the result is that the hand, or hand and arm, or hand and upper body are sharply displaced as a whole before the motion is damped by the rest of the body.
Some details of recoil are discussed here. The recoil of rifles, which are generally more powerful, braced near the shoulder, and operated near the face, can easily cause a broken collarbone, torn rotator cuff, black eye, and/or detached retina.
Thus, whether injury occurs depends on the stress induced in vivo from the acceleration of the brace position vs. the relative strength of the nearby organs.
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
answered 2 hours ago
Chemomechanics
4,3203922
4,3203922
The hand (and wrist, forearm, &c) also has many flexible muscles and joints, which act as shock absorbers. Not just when firing a pistol: think of hitting something with your fist.
– jamesqf
28 mins ago
add a comment |
The hand (and wrist, forearm, &c) also has many flexible muscles and joints, which act as shock absorbers. Not just when firing a pistol: think of hitting something with your fist.
– jamesqf
28 mins ago
The hand (and wrist, forearm, &c) also has many flexible muscles and joints, which act as shock absorbers. Not just when firing a pistol: think of hitting something with your fist.
– jamesqf
28 mins ago
The hand (and wrist, forearm, &c) also has many flexible muscles and joints, which act as shock absorbers. Not just when firing a pistol: think of hitting something with your fist.
– jamesqf
28 mins ago
add a comment |
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bullets are very small (and handgun bullets aren't that fast) compared to the mass of the shooter
– Martin Beckett
2 hours ago
1
If you ever shoot a .454 Casull, you'll find that there definitely IS a possibility of wrist injury due to the enormous recoil. Such a revolves is NOT fun to shoot.
– David White
1 hour ago