Question

The law of motion involved in the recoil of gun is:

• A. Newton's first law of motion
• B. Newton's second law of motion
• C. Newton's third law of motion
• D. none of these

Hint:

Even though the forces are equal in magnitude, the acceleration of the gun is much less than the bullet because the gun has a much larger mass ($a = F/m$).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Newton's Third Law states that forces always exist in pairs. Whenever one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force back on the first.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
When a gun is fired, the gunpowder explosion exerts a forward force on the bullet (Action). According to Newton's Third Law, the bullet exerts an equal and opposite backward force on the gun (Reaction). This backward force causes the gun to "recoil" or jerk backward into the shooter's shoulder. This phenomenon is also a perfect example of the Law of Conservation of Momentum.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The recoil of a gun is based on Newton's third law of motion.