one more physics question! please help?

Question

on a day when the speed of sound in air is 330m/s, you shoot a rifle at a distant metal target. The speed of the bullet is 500.00 m/s. you hear the sound of the bullet striking the target 5.0 s after firing the gun. calculate the distance from you to the target.

first one to answer gets the point :)

pleasr tell me how you get the answer

Answer 1

Let's see. Let's say the distance to the target is x.

The time for the bullet to reach the target is x / 500. The time for the sound to reach you from the target is x / 330.

So,

x / 500 + x / 330 = 5 sec.

Multiply everything by 500 * 330:

330x + 500x = 5 * 500 * 330
830x = 5 * 500 * 330
83x = 250 * 330

Solve that for x, the distance to the target in meters.

It comes out to around 1,000 meters, or around 5/8 of a mile.

The people who say 1650 meters are obviously wrong. 1650 meters is way too far. It takes sound 5 seconds to travel the 1650 meters, and they are allowing no time for the bullet to reach the target.

The person who says that the "seed" of the bullet is irrelevant is also wrong. The bullet travels only a little faster than sound, and takes a considerable time to reach the target. Its travel time cannot be ignored. It takes the bullet around two seconds to reach the target, and three seconds for the sound to travel back. Just think about it in rough terms. 1,000 meters to the target--bullet going 500 m/s--two seconds. Sound returning at 330 m/s--three seconds.

Ignore the crackpot who says 1320 meters assuming the target is 1 meter away.

I hope you mean first one to anwer CORRECTLY gets the point.

Answer 2

The difference of Bullet and Sound speeds is 500-330=170m/s
you multiply this by 5 to get the distance
5x170= 850meters

Answer 3

D(m)= 330(m/s) x 5(s) = 1650(m)
the seed of the bullet is irrelevent information

Answer 4

5 miles

Answer 5

330m/s * 5.0s = 1650m

Answer 6

1320m away assumind metal target is 1m away

Answer 7

approx 1650m