Is it true that a meteor has a speed equivalent with a bullet?

Answer 1

I wasn't going to answer this, since other people have already answered it well, but when I saw the answer "ghrgrgsd" put down, I had to. He/she should not be answering any scientific questions. Didn't we all learn in our first physics class, if not much earlier, that ALL OBJECTS FALL AT THE SAME SPEED (and acceleration), REGARDLESS OF THEIR SIZE OR MASS (in a vacuum). So, size/mass of meteors and earth's gravity have next to NOTHING to do with their speed upon entering the earth's atmosphere.

So please, ghrgrgsd, take a basic science class before you start making up information and embarass yourself again.


As for the question, as everyone else has said, they can travel much faster than bullets. Bullets are accelerated by a small explosion of gunpowder. I don't know what meteors are accelerated by, but the main thing is that in space there is very little friction to slow things down (or else all the planets would have fallen into the sun by now), so things that get moving very fast can keep moving very fast for millions of years, and will keep on going until they hit something, maybe us.

Also keep in mind that the earth is moving around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour, and that it rotates at about 1,000 miles an hour at the equator, and is also not slowing down any time soon. The earth could "run into" something that wasn't "moving" at all and it would be faster than a bullet, right?

A meteor is slowed by the earth's atmosphere and eventually stopped by the ground if it makes it that far before burning up, so its speed is eventually zero, relative to the earth, but it usually starts out much higher. At those high speeds, earth's gravity "doesn't have time" to significantly alter the meteor's path. Friction is the main factor, I think.

See link#1 for speed of the earth.

See link#2 for info on "the Tunguska event," which demonstrates the immense energy involved in some meteor impacts, a lot more energy than a bullet has (though more mass, as well).

Answer 2

A meteor's speed is much faster than a bullet's. In the vaccuum environment of space, there is no resistance to the meteor's movement. Therefore, the meteor can build up its speed steadily, with the sling-shot effect from the gravity of other planets, it is very likely that the meteor's speed can exceed tens of thousands of kilometers per hour. It must be this fast, or else it would be captured by the gravity of one of the planets as it moves towards Earth, and impact the other planet.

Answer 3

Actually a meteor's speed is a lot more than a bullet. At the most, some bullets travel just over the speed of sound. Meteors enter Earth's atmosphere at up to 40,000 mph.

Answer 4

Well, everyone's gonna have a different answer to that. It depends on the size of the meteor, and its material. A bullet may seem like it's faster, just because it's smaller and you can't see it. But in general, they are the same speed, or a meteor could be faster. A larger meteor would probably travel the fastest, because the earth's gravitational pull would be greater, because of the meteors size and weight. A smaller meteor would probably be slower because the earth's gravitational pull wouldn't be as strong, considering it's smaller and it weighs less. It all just depends.

Answer 5

No bullets travel far slower than do meteors. Meteors travel through space at about 22,000 miles per hour.

A bullet travels according to how much powder is in the round, some are so slow you can watch them coming at you (a .45 for instance.) This is called muzzle velocity. Most are in the range of about 1,500 - 2,500 feet per second. about 900 - 1,000 miles per hour.

Answer 6

Few bullets go more than 4,000mph. Meteors can hit at more than 40,000mph.

Answer 7

Equivalent....or faster....or slower depends on the meteors velocity.

Answer 8

If it exchange into going ninety 9.ninety 9 % p.c. the fee of sunshine (the quickest possible velocity in accordance to physics), the speed might actually tear a hollow by way of Earth which might then proceed to disintegrate aside. the ambience might disintegrate to boot so if the meteor, lava, earthquakes, tsunamis, ect. did no longer kill you, the lack of oxygen and gravity might. luckily, the only way it may be going that rapid may be by potential of the two applying a black hollow's gravity and a few human/alien interference (the human/alien might require actually endless capability) to catapult it, or by potential of disproving quantum mechanics and travelling by way of a black hollow (first one extra in all probability).

Answer 9

it would be more faster than a bullet