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Why did a tubular barrel make gunpowder more effective as a propellant?

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A tubular barrel made gunpowder more effective as a propellant because it allowed the explosive energy to be confined and directed.1

Gunpowder does not release its energy instantaneously; rather, it requires time and space to develop its full force. By confining the powder within a tubular barrel, the expanding gases generated during combustion are forced to act upon the projectile over the length of the bore. This containment ensures that the pressure builds up effectively to accelerate the projectile, rather than dissipating harmlessly into the open air.12

This realization was a fundamental perception in the development of modern artillery, as it allowed engineers to harness the chemical energy of the propellant to achieve greater power and velocity than earlier, unconfined weapons.1