Final answer:
The Pre Charged Pneumatic (PCP) gun is a type of pneumatic gun; for a spring-operated gun, calculations involve using the conservation of energy principle and Hooke's Law.
Step-by-step explanation:
A Pre Charged Pneumatic (PCP) gun is a type of pneumatic gun. These airguns are powered by compressed air, which is stored in a reservoir. When it comes to BB guns, there are various mechanisms used to propel the BB from the barrel. A spring-operated gun, for instance, uses a spring-driven plunger. In the calculation presented:
- (a) To calculate the force constant of a plunger's spring which is compressed by 0.150 m to propel a 0.0500-kg plunger to a top speed of 20.0 m/s, we must use the principle of conservation of energy. The potential energy stored in the spring (spring's elastic potential energy) is converted into the kinetic energy of the plunger when it is released.
- (b) The force needed to compress the spring is related to the force constant and the distance the spring is compressed, as per Hooke's Law.