An average force of is applied on a machine gun firing bullets each of mass at the speed of to keep it in position. The number of bullets fired per second by the machine gun is:
- A
- B
- C
- D
An average force of is applied on a machine gun firing bullets each of mass at the speed of to keep it in position. The number of bullets fired per second by the machine gun is:
Correct answer:D
Standard Method
Given: Average force on the machine gun is . Mass of each bullet is and speed of each bullet is .
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.
Momentum of each bullet is
If bullets are fired per second, then
Using ,
Therefore, the number of bullets fired per second is . The correct option is D.
Rate of Momentum Approach
Given: A machine gun fires bullets of mass with speed and an average opposing force of keeps it in position.
Find: Bullets fired per second.
For one bullet, convert mass into SI unit:
Then momentum carried by one bullet is
If bullets are fired each second, total momentum given to bullets per second is
This equals the force on the gun in magnitude:
Thus, the machine gun fires bullets per second.
Using mass as instead of converting to 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 instead.
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