Why Does a Bullet Cause More Damage Than a Knife?

What makes a bullet fired from a gun more damaging than a knife propelled by a human hand?

A. The bullet strikes the body at a higher velocity.

B. A bullet fired from a gun can momentarily have more mass than a knife blade.

C. The bullet is traveling on its​ own, whereas a knife blade is controlled by a hand.

D. The area of impact from the bullet is smaller than that of a knife blade.

Answer:

The correct answer is A. The bullet strikes the body at a higher velocity.

When a bullet is fired, it travels at a very high speed, often faster than the speed of sound, which causes significant damage upon impact. The high velocity of the bullet results in greater kinetic energy, leading to more damage to the target. In comparison, a knife blade propelled by a human hand moves at a much slower speed and therefore delivers less impact force.

Additionally, the concentrated force of the bullet in a smaller area increases the severity of the wound, as opposed to a knife blade that typically causes damage over a larger surface area. This focused impact from the bullet can penetrate deeper into the body and cause more internal damage.

Thus, the combination of high velocity and concentrated force makes a bullet fired from a gun more damaging than a knife propelled by a human hand.