ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Physics of firearms

Okay kiddo, you know when you play with a slingshot and pull back the rubber band, then let it go and the rock shoots out really fast? Well, that's kind of like how a gun works.

Inside a gun, there's a long tube called the barrel. When you pull the trigger, it makes a little hammer hit a tiny thing called a primer at the bottom of a bullet. That primer makes a tiny explosion that sends a spark down into the gunpowder inside the bullet.

The gunpowder explodes and that creates a bunch of hot gas. The hot gas needs somewhere to go, so it shoots out the back end of the bullet, pushing it forward out of the barrel really fast. That's called a gunshot.

Different types of guns have different barrels and bullets that make them work differently. Some guns shoot really small bullets really fast and some guns shoot really big bullets more slowly.

It's really important to be safe and careful when using guns, because they can be very dangerous if not used the right way. Always listen to an adult and never play with a gun, okay?