Stuart is designing a cool shield that will stop bullets. However, Alice, his friend, tells him it won't work, because his shield design can't possibly remove all the energy from the bullets. What base law of physics is Stuart likely violating?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stuart is likely violating the conservation of energy law. This law states that energy is always conserved. It cannot vanish, or be created out of nothing. Thus, a shield stopping bullets needs some way to dissipate all of the energy of the bullet, which is quite difficult! Modern day body armor spreads the energy of the bullet over a large surface area, so that bullet does not pierce the body. However, people wearing armor who are shot still experience a significant amount of force and usually suffer bruises.

Stuart Is Designing a Cool Shield That Will Stop Bullets