MCQEasyJEE 2023Impulse & Momentum

JEE Physics 2023 Question with Solution

An average force of 125N125 \, \text{N} is applied on a machine gun firing bullets each of mass 10g10 \, \text{g} at the speed of 250m/s250 \, \text{m/s} to keep it in position. The number of bullets fired per second by the machine gun is:

  • A

    2525

  • B

    55

  • C

    100100

  • D

    5050

Answer

Correct answer:D

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: Average force on the machine gun is 125N125 \, \text{N}. Mass of each bullet is 10g=0.01kg10 \, \text{g} = 0.01 \, \text{kg} and speed of each bullet is 250m/s250 \, \text{m/s}.

Find: The number of bullets fired per second.

The force required to keep the machine gun in position is equal to the rate of change of momentum of the bullets.

F=d(mv)dtF = \frac{d(mv)}{dt}

Momentum of each bullet is

mv=0.01×250=2.5kg m/smv = 0.01 \times 250 = 2.5 \, \text{kg m/s}

If nn bullets are fired per second, then

F=n×2.5F = n \times 2.5

Using F=125NF = 125 \, \text{N},

125=2.5n125 = 2.5nn=1252.5=50n = \frac{125}{2.5} = 50

Therefore, the number of bullets fired per second is 5050. The correct option is D.

Rate of Momentum Approach

Given: A machine gun fires bullets of mass 10g10 \, \text{g} with speed 250m/s250 \, \text{m/s} and an average opposing force of 125N125 \, \text{N} keeps it in position.

Find: Bullets fired per second.

For one bullet, convert mass into SI unit:

10g=101000=0.01kg10 \, \text{g} = \frac{10}{1000} = 0.01 \, \text{kg}

Then momentum carried by one bullet is

p=mvp = mvp=0.01×250=2.5kg m/sp = 0.01 \times 250 = 2.5 \, \text{kg m/s}

If nn bullets are fired each second, total momentum given to bullets per second is

2.5n2.5n

This equals the force on the gun in magnitude:

F=2.5nF = 2.5n125=2.5n125 = 2.5nn=50n = 50

Thus, the machine gun fires 5050 bullets per second.

Common mistakes

  • Using mass as 10kg10 \, \text{kg} instead of converting 10g10 \, \text{g} to 0.01kg0.01 \, \text{kg} is incorrect. SI units must be used in momentum and force calculations. Convert grams to kilograms first.

  • Calculating force for one bullet and stopping there is wrong because the question asks for bullets fired per second. Force here is the rate of change of momentum, so multiply momentum per bullet by the number of bullets fired each second.

  • Using formulas from kinetic energy or acceleration is a conceptual error. This situation is governed by recoil and momentum flow. Use F=dpdtF = \frac{dp}{dt} instead.

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