Question

When the gun fires a projectile with a mass of 0.040 kg and a speed of 380 m/s, what is the recoil velocity of the shotgun and arm–shoulder combination?

Answer 1

Complete question:

The recoil of a shotgun can be significant. Suppose a 3.6-kg shotgun is held tightly by an arm and shoulder with a combined mass of 15.0 kg. When the gun fires a projectile with a mass of 0.040 kg and a speed of 380 m/s, what is the recoil velocity of the shotgun and arm–shoulder combination?

Answer:

The recoil velocity of the shotgun and arm–shoulder combination is 1.013 m/s

Explanation:

Given;

combined mass of the shotgun and arm–shoulder, m₁ = 15 kg

mass of the projectile, m₂ = 0.04 kg

speed of the projectile, u₂ = 380 m/s

let the recoil velocity of the shotgun and arm–shoulder combination = u₁

Apply the principle of conservation of linear momentum;

m₁u₁  +  m₂u₂ = 0

m₁u₁ = - m₂u₂

$u_1 = -\frac{m_2u_2}{m_1} \\\\u_1 = - \frac{0.04\times 380}{15} \\\\u_1 =-1.013 \ m/s\\\\u_1 = 1.013 \ m/s \ \ \ in \ opposite \ direction$

Therefore, the recoil velocity of the shotgun and arm–shoulder combination is 1.013 m/s