Question

Name 7 characteristics of the Colt M4 Carbine.

a) Accuracy, Weight, Caliber, Magazine capacity, Rate of fire, Barrel length, Gas system
b) Color, Brand, Size, Fire mode, Sights, Grip type, Accessories
c) Length, Width, Height, Material, Recoil, Range, Stock type
d) Trigger pull, Bullet type, Safety features, Muzzle velocity, Finish, Bolt carrier group, Operating system

Answer 1

The Colt M4 Carbine demonstrates characteristics such as accuracy and weight relevant to physics in terms of recoil. A plunger recoiling with a bullet fired at 600 m/s would have a velocity of 12 m/s, and stopping this plunger over 20 cm results in an average force of 300 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 7 characteristics of the Colt M4 Carbine that were mentioned include accuracy, weight, caliber, magazine capacity, rate of fire, barrel length, and gas system. In the context of physics and the application to military rifles regarding recoil, here's the detailed analysis:

1. Recoil velocity of a 1.00-kg plunger interacting with a 0.0200-kg bullet fired at 600 m/s is calculated using conservation of momentum: since momentum before and after firing must be equal, pbefore = pafter. Thus, for the bullet and plunger system: mbullet × vbullet = mplunger × vplunger. Solving for vplunger gives us a recoil velocity of 12 m/s.
2. To find the average force exerted on the plunger, we use the work-energy principle, where the work done by the force equals the change in kinetic energy: F × d = 0.5 × mplunger × vplunger2. The calculated average force over a stopping distance of 20 cm is 300 N.
3. Comparing this force to the force exerted on the gun during the bullet's acceleration shows a significant difference, as the force over a 10 ms acceleration period is much greater due to the shorter interaction time.