A cannonball has more kinetic energy than the recoiling cannon from which it is fired because the force on the ball

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The kinetic energy of an object is directly proportional to the force applied to it and the distance over which the force acts. In the case of a cannon firing a cannonball, the force on the ball acts over a longer distance compared to the force on the recoiling cannon. This is because the cannonball travels a certain distance while it is accelerating out of the cannon, whereas the cannon comes to a stop almost immediately due to the frictional forces between the cannon and the ground. Hence, the cannonball has more kinetic energy than the recoiling cannon.

A Cannonball Has More Kinetic Energy Than the Recoiling Cannon