Question

A gun of mass 10 kg fires a bullet of mass 0.05 kg with a muzzle velocity of 500 m/s. What is the recoil velocity of the gun?

• A. 5 m/s
• B. 0.25m/s
• C. 25m/s
• D. 2.5m/s

Answer 1

Answer:

D. 2.5m/s

Step 1: Calculate the momentum of the bullet

The momentum of the bullet is given by its mass multiplied by its velocity.
Momentum of bullet = mass of bullet x velocity of bullet
= 0.05 kg x 500 m/s
= 25 kg m/s

Step 2: Calculate the recoil momentum of the gun

According to the law of conservation of momentum, the recoil momentum of the gun is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the momentum of the bullet.
Recoil momentum of gun = -25 kg m/s

Step 3: Calculate the recoil velocity of the gun

The recoil velocity of the gun can be found by dividing the recoil momentum by the mass of the gun.
Recoil velocity of gun = recoil momentum of gun / mass of gun
= -25 kg m/s / 10 kg
= -2.5 m/s

The final answer is: 2.5​