Question about movement in isolated system

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In an isolated system, internal forces cancel each other out, which explains why pushing on a car door does not cause the car to move. However, in systems like rockets and guns, the ejection of fuel or bullets creates external forces that result in movement. The conservation of momentum applies to the entire system, including the expelled mass, ensuring that the center of mass remains unchanged. Forces acting on different objects do not cancel out if they are external to the system, allowing for acceleration. Thus, the movement of rockets and guns can be understood through the dynamics of external forces and momentum conservation, unlike the static case of the car door.
  • #31
The "parts" inside an isolated system are not isolated!
 
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  • #32
Kenan said:
If forces will be acting on the same object then there will be no motion,but in gun or rocket case forces are not acting on the same object,no?
Depends on how you define the objects. You can consider Münchausen as arm & body to have two objects as well. Then analyze the forces between them to see what is actually different compared to gun & bullet.
 
  • #33
Doc Al said:
OK.An object will accelerate (begin to move) if there is an unbalanced force acting on it. It the case of the bullet fired from a gun, there is an unbalanced force acting on the bullet as it begins moving.His hair won't move since it is attached to his head! (If he really pulls it, it could tear off though.) And his body won't move because whatever force he pulls up with (on his hair) is balanced by the equal and opposite force that the hair pulls down with.

Always ask yourself: Is there a net force on an object? If so, it will accelerate. If not, it won't.

Ok I think I understand you,in the Münhausen example net force is zero because forces are acting on the same object.In the rocket/gun example both are moving because net force is not zero - forces are acting on different objects.Am I right now?
 
  • #34
Kenan said:
Ok I think I understand you,in the Münhausen example net force is zero because forces are acting on the same object.In the rocket/gun example both are moving because net force is not zero - forces are acting on different objects.Am I right now?

I hope I'm right now,correct me if I'm wrong.
Thanks again.
 
  • #35
Kenan said:
Ok I think I understand you,in the Münhausen example net force is zero because forces are acting on the same object.In the rocket/gun example both are moving because net force is not zero - forces are acting on different objects.Am I right now?
Close enough.

Have you read this page from the website you linked?: What's[/PLAIN] an object and what isn't?
 
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  • #36
Kenan said:
Ok I think I understand you,in the Münhausen example net force is zero because forces are acting on the same object.In the rocket/gun example both are moving because net force is not zero - forces are acting on different objects.Am I right now?
Yes. The net force on each 'piece' of the system is zero in the first example and non-zero in the rocket/gun example.
 

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