What happens when a firearm is discharged in space?

Question

Is the speed the same on Earth? References appreciated.

Answer 1

Bullet goes one way. Gun goes the other way.

This assumes, of course, that the firearm does not need oxygen to cause the high-speed combustion that produces the explosion that sends the projectile out the muzzle...

There are numerous other nuances, here, but that's the gist of it.

Answer 2

This is simply an application of Newton's Third Law of Motion, where a force with have an equal force in the opposite direction. Assuming that the firearm discharges a bullet, the bullet will fire out of the weapon at the same speed as it would on Earth. The difference would be the lack of air resistance, so the bullet will continue on its same path until acted upon by an external force. (This is Newton's first law.) Depending on the surroundings, the bullet could go into a planet's atmosphere, enter orbit, or be slingshot around another celestrial body. (By the way, this is how probes launched from Earth travel after they've been propelled by their rocket.)

The other effect would be that the weapon will be propelled in the reverse direction with the same momentum (meaning that if the weapon is twenty times the mass of the bullet, it will move backwards at one-twentieth the velocity). Unlike on earth, where a person firing the weapon has the benefit of the ground to absorb the momentum via friction, the weapon will have nothing stopping its motion unless acted upon by an external force.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Most explosives carry their own oxygen for combustion (see nitroglycerin) or work with a completely different chemical reaction (e.g. chlorine and sodium), so fire in space is possible. The force would be equal in space as on earth, but the air on earth would slow the velocity. The vacuum in space would allow the gaseous compression to expand equally well in every direction possible (sum down the barrel and sum out the cartriage or hammer or where ever). That would probably equalize the force actually making contact with the bullet. As the shooter, relative to your velocity going backwards from the recoil or reverse force of discharge, the velocity would appear to be the same for the bullet in space as on earth initially, but then friction on earth would slow the bullet.

Answer 4

Let's assume you're talking about the speed of the bullet, not the firearm. (Ya never know around this site...)

Anyway, OF COURSE NOT!!!

In space, without the effect of the earth's atmosphere, the bullet will travel faster and go farther. See, like, there is NO FRICTION to slow down the bullet in space.

Answer 5

by no capacity had an unintended discharge, on the different hand, i do no longer play with my firearms. i do no longer needlessly cycle ammo by them, I purely load them whilst i visit shoot them. the only loaded firearm I save interior the home is residing house protection firearms. as quickly as I carry CCW I load the magazine, cycle the action with muzzle pointing on the floor( no longer the floor, I propose the floor outdoors) and the two decock or have interaction protection, counting on what pistol I even have. in case you have been sorting out for function with those countless varieties of ammo, you will possibly desire to have been in the two a gun variety, or someplace the place you will possibly be able to desire to wisely do it. Please learn out of your mistake.

Answer 6

I am not going to give references. But, it will continue for the speed it was launched for all eternity. It will only changed its vector or speed if it encounters another object or atmosphere.

Answer 7

it has the same speed and would would keep that speed and direction until it came into a gravitational field or hit space dust

Answer 8

anything that goes up must come down, but at a slower speed...we try it out on the 4 July and new years in Miami

Answer 9

The speed is the same and it will remain the same until it hits something, but please be advised that it might not fire in space.

Answer 10

Yes. And the projectile will go on almost forever.