Also energy is imparted to the pellet from the air. But the difference between the rifle and pistol is interesting. The rifle releases much less air when dry fired and is also known to compensate for projectile weight without any changes to the power wheel. It appears that the valve stays open longer with heavier projectiles in the case of the rifle. Perhaps the short barrel of the pistol precludes this effect.
I’m also noticing that projectile speed rather than power is correlated with noise level. Heavy slugs shooting at 40fpe seem to be quieter than lightweight GTOs shooting faster but only yielding 20fpe. 30fpe 18.1 pellets are in between. I feel like I’ve just got to a point where I understand all the nuances of the rifle, but this pistol is another PhD.