Impulse vs Fnet relation to damage?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between impulse, force, acceleration, and momentum in the context of damage caused by a bullet. Participants explore whether a bullet's damage is more influenced by its acceleration as it exits the gun or by its momentum and velocity as it travels towards a target.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether a bullet with high acceleration or greater momentum causes more damage, referencing the equations F=ma and Δp=Favgt.
  • Another participant notes that a bullet stops accelerating once it leaves the gun and begins to slow down, suggesting that damage is primarily caused by momentum and deformation.
  • A follow-up question is posed regarding whether a bullet at maximal velocity, positioned 30 meters from the target, would cause more damage than one just exiting the gun.
  • Clarification is provided that the initial momentum (p initial) for the Δp calculation is the momentum just before impact, with the final momentum (p final) being zero.
  • A participant concludes that the greatest impulse occurs at maximum velocity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the factors contributing to damage, with some emphasizing the role of momentum and others considering acceleration. The discussion remains unresolved regarding which factor is more significant in causing damage.

Contextual Notes

There are assumptions regarding the conditions under which momentum and impulse are evaluated, particularly concerning the bullet's behavior after leaving the gun and the reference points for momentum calculations.

mrneuro
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what does more damage an object w/ a high acceleration or a greater momentum

i was watching one of my favorite tv shows "Justified" and i started to wonder would a bullet moving at a greater acceleration hence greater force (F=ma) inflict more damage or would a bullet w/ a greater velocity, hence momentum (p) and impulse (Δp=Favgt)

im pretty sure the bullet will have the greatest acceleration as it leaves a gun
what about Δp?

and so i guess my question is does impulse generate more damage or is it more Newtonian in that a greater acceleration impacts more damage

obviously m of bullet is same

So i guess my question is F=ma vs Δp (Favgt) which does more damage in terms of a bullet

this has been bothering me for about a week now and i can't seem to convince myself one or the other because I am pretty sure Fnet has an impact on Favg but then i tell myself the max acceleration leads max velocity

HELP
 
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welcome to pf!

hi mrneuro! welcome to pf! :smile:

a bullet stops accelerating as soon as it leaves the gun …

from then on, it's slowing down …

the damage is caused by the momentum, and by the way the bullet deforms
 
thanks!

sorry but one more question would a bullet at maximal velocity say 30 m from the bullet tip cause more damage

or a bullet just exiting the gun?

i guess I am asking what is the reference for p initial for the Δp calculation?
 
mrneuro said:
i guess I am asking what is the reference for p initial for the Δp calculation?

p initial is the momentum immediately before it hits the target (and p final is 0) :smile:
 
tiny-tim said:
p initial is the momentum immediately before it hits the target (and p final is 0) :smile:

Sweet thanks!

so greatest impulse wil be found at max velocity
 

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