Muzzle energy is the kinetic energy of a bullet as it is expelled from the muzzle of a firearm. It is often used as a rough indication of the destructive potential of a given firearm or load. The heavier the bullet and the faster it moves, the higher its muzzle energy and the more damage it will do.
The general formula for the kinetic energy is
where
- v is the velocity of the bullet
- m is the mass of the bullet.
Read more about Muzzle Energy: Calculating Muzzle Energy, Typical Muzzle Energies of Common Firearms and Cartridges, Resources
Famous quotes containing the words muzzle and/or energy:
“You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Deuteronomy 25:4.
“Because humans are not alone in exhibiting such behavior—bees stockpile royal jelly, birds feather their nests, mice shred paper—it’s possible that a pregnant woman who scrubs her house from floor to ceiling [just before her baby is born] is responding to a biological imperative . . . . Of course there are those who believe that . . . the burst of energy that propels a pregnant woman to clean her house is a perfectly natural response to their mother’s impending visit.”
—Mary Arrigo (20th century)