I allways wondered, because the momentum that pushes them out of the barrel must be stronger than the one they have when they impact a target? so how do barrel launched grenades or paintsballs or other similar projectiles work?
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This is the difference between kinetic energy; or the energy shared between two objects in related motion; and potential energy. That of the stored energy of the propellent.
Imagine a rocket. It will not disintegrate under the pressures of being introduced to atmospheric resistance and friction because the structural integrity accounts for those forces. However, if that same rocket were to exchange kinetic energy with an object; say a bird. The consequences of which would be very detrimental; to at least the bird and perhaps the rocket depending on the speeds and the structural integrity where the exchange occurs.
Of course the eagle eyed reader might accurately suggest that potential energy gets converted to kinetic energy. This is true. That conversion however takes *time*. We can use that time as a force of continuous propulsion in which the total potential energy is divided by the amount of time it takes to be expended.
Imagine a rocket powered by TNT. TNT is potential energy, but its conversion to kinetic energy takes place in a very short time, releasing tremendous amounts of kinetic energy in the process.
Rocket fuel on the other hand, its conversion from potential energy (fuel) to kinetic (propulsion) is regulated by many factors; the chemical nature of the propellent itself, but *also* mechanical separation. We don’t ignite the entire source of fuel at once, only as required to provide the propulsion needed in that moment.
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