When a rifle is fired, it recoils so both the bullet and rifle are set in motion. The rifle and bullet ideally acquire equal

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The law of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a closed system is constant. When a rifle is fired, the bullet and rifle exert equal and opposite forces on each other, resulting in equal but opposite amounts of momentum. This is not necessarily true for kinetic energy, as the masses of the bullet and rifle differ significantly, leading to different kinetic energies despite the equal and opposite momentum.

When a Rifle Is Fired, It Recoils So Both the Bullet