TheDucksQuacker t1_j29l0dt wrote on December 30, 2022 at 5:15 PM Reply to ELI5: Why is the recoil of a gun not nearly as bad as getting hit with a bullet while wearing a bullet proof vest if they are both the same force? by Tratakaro It’s the distribution of the force. All that force is coming down on a single point when the bullet hits. Like pushing in a drawing pin, the thin end goes into the wall and the thick end doesn’t hurt your finger because the same force is distributed over a larger area. Permalink 19
TheDucksQuacker t1_j29l0dt wrote
Reply to ELI5: Why is the recoil of a gun not nearly as bad as getting hit with a bullet while wearing a bullet proof vest if they are both the same force? by Tratakaro
It’s the distribution of the force.
All that force is coming down on a single point when the bullet hits.
Like pushing in a drawing pin, the thin end goes into the wall and the thick end doesn’t hurt your finger because the same force is distributed over a larger area.