Newton's law of equal/opposite reaction, and bullet impact...

In summary, there is an equal reaction force going in the opposite direction of the bullet when it impacts a target, which is what stops the bullet. This reaction force may be slight, but it is still present. The speaker is looking for a way to either completely absorb the bullet's kinetic energy without transferring it broadly, or to negate the impact forces altogether.
  • #1
davidsirmons
9
1
When fired, a slug's acceleration down a barrel produces an equal backward force. I get that.
What I DON'T get, is why there is no rebounding force counter to a slug's impact by the material being struck? The material/molecules simply get impacted and pushed via the force generated. Why is there no equal reaction going in the opposite direction of the bullet? By all observation, the forces exerted by a slug impact do NOT have equal opposing force against the bullet.
 
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  • #2
davidsirmons said:
By all observation, the forces exerted by a slug impact do NOT have equal opposing force against the bullet.
They do. That's what stops the bullet once it hits the target. Without a reaction force supplied by the material being struck, the bullet would just continue ahead with constant velocity.
 
  • #3
davidsirmons said:
When fired, a slug's acceleration down a barrel produces an equal backward force. I get that.
What I DON'T get, is why there is no rebounding force counter to a slug's impact by the material being struck? The material/molecules simply get impacted and pushed via the force generated. Why is there no equal reaction going in the opposite direction of the bullet? By all observation, the forces exerted by a slug impact do NOT have equal opposing force against the bullet.

What makes you say that? The bullet is stopped or slowed by the target by reaction forces.

If you mean a paper target, both action and reaction are slight.
 
  • #4
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that indeed a reaction is taking place, though I was thinking double the reaction (i.e. reversing the bullet direction)
Am looking for a way to either absorb kinetic energy entirely without broad transmission, or some other way to negate to 0 impact forces.
 
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  • #5
davidsirmons said:
Am looking for a way to either absorb kinetic energy entirely without broad transmission, or some other way to negate to 0 impact forces.

I don't understand what that means. Please state your question more clearly.
 

What is Newton's law of equal and opposite reaction?

Newton's law of equal and opposite reaction states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when an object exerts a force on another object, the second object will exert an equal force in the opposite direction.

How does this law apply to bullet impact?

When a bullet is fired from a gun, the gun exerts a force on the bullet, propelling it forward. However, according to Newton's law, the bullet will also exert an equal and opposite force on the gun, causing the recoil. This law also applies to the impact of the bullet on the target, where the bullet exerts a force on the target and the target exerts an equal force back on the bullet.

Does this mean that the target and the bullet experience the same amount of force?

No, the amount of force experienced by the target and the bullet may not be the same. This is because the force experienced by an object also depends on its mass. The target may have a larger mass than the bullet, meaning it will experience a smaller acceleration and force compared to the bullet.

Can this law be applied to other situations besides bullet impact?

Yes, this law applies to all interactions between objects. For example, when you sit on a chair, your body exerts a force on the chair, and the chair exerts an equal and opposite force on your body, keeping you in equilibrium.

How does this law relate to the conservation of momentum?

Newton's law of equal and opposite reaction is directly related to the conservation of momentum. The momentum of an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its velocity. According to this law, when two objects interact, the total momentum of the system remains constant. This means that the momentum of the bullet before impact is equal to the combined momentum of the bullet and target after impact.

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