Question

A 7.80−9 bullet moving at 630 m/s strikes the hand of a superhero, causing the hand to move 4.50 cm in the direction of the buliet's velocity before stopping. Use work and energy considerations to find the average force that stops the bullet.

Answer 1

The average force that stops the bullet is 39.344 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

The average force that stops the bullet can be found using work and energy considerations. According to the work-energy theorem, the initial kinetic energy of the bullet is equal to the average stopping force times the distance it penetrates. In this case, the bullet moves 4.50 cm before stopping.

Using the given information, we can calculate the initial kinetic energy of the bullet:

Initial kinetic energy = (1/2) * mass * velocity^2

= (1/2) * 9 * 10^-3 kg * (630 m/s)^2

= 1.77045 J

Since the bullet loses all of its kinetic energy when it stops, the average force can be calculated as:

Average stopping force = Initial kinetic energy / stopping distance

= 1.77045 J / 0.045 m

= 39.344 N