Force Needed to Stop a Flying Bullet

AI Thread Summary
To find the force exerted by wood on a bullet, the bullet's mass (0.0025 kg) and its initial velocity (470 m/s) are essential. The bullet travels 6.2 cm before stopping, indicating a constant deceleration. The kinematic equation v^2 = u^2 + 2as can be used to calculate acceleration, where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity, and s is the distance. After determining acceleration, the force can be calculated using F = mass * acceleration, ensuring all units are converted to meters and seconds, and the final answer is expressed in kilonewtons (kN). Proper unit conversion is crucial for obtaining the correct force value.
IBdoomed
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A bullet of mass 0.0025 kg moving at 470 m/s
impacts a large fixed block of wood and travels
6.2 cm before coming to rest.
Assuming that the deceleration of the bullet
is constant, find the force exerted by the wood
on the bullet.
Answer in units of kN

I know force= mass * acceleration but i don't know how the distance plays into the solution. Any kind of kinematics formula would be sufficiently helpful!
 
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IBdoomed said:
A bullet of mass 0.0025 kg moving at 470 m/s
impacts a large fixed block of wood and travels
6.2 cm before coming to rest.
Assuming that the deceleration of the bullet
is constant, find the force exerted by the wood
on the bullet.
Answer in units of kN

I know force= mass * acceleration but i don't know how the distance plays into the solution. Any kind of kinematics formula would be sufficiently helpful!

Choose wisely from the sets of equations shown in the first two sections of this wikipedia posting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equations_of_motion
 
i was trying to use v^2= u^2+2as
but the answer i am getting is wrong...
is there a different formula you suggest?
 
IBdoomed said:
i was trying to use v^2= u^2+2as
but the answer i am getting is wrong...
is there a different formula you suggest?

That is certainly the one I would use.

Were you converting everything to metres and seconds?

This formula will only calculate the acceleration of course - you need at least one more step to get the force.
 
nevermind. i was not converting my answer into kN... thank you so much!
 
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