The characteristics of kinetic energy transfer during a collision between a rigid target particle on a surface and a fragile bullet particle (BP) moving at a high velocity were analyzed by Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation. Ar, N-2, and CO2 BPs were considered; their size, temperature and velocity were varied over a wide range. The fraction (F-K) of kinetic energy transferred from the BP to the target particle was almost independent of BP size or velocity, but was sensitively dependent on BP type and temperature. The rigidity or the average potential energy of the BP was a dominant factor determining the post-collision behavior of the target particle and F-K. F-K was almost linearly proportional to the average potential energy per molecule of the BP. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.