If you drop a bullet at the same height as you shoot a gun will they land at the same time?

Question

If you drop a bullet at the same hieght as you shoot a gun will they land at the same time?.......my science teacher was talking a bout this and i didn't know if it was true.......is it?

(if the gun is shot horizontally)

Answer 1

Yes.

The force of gravity will be the same on both bullets. As long as the bullet out of the gun is fired horizontally, they will both be drawn to the earth at the same rate. Thus, they will land at the same time.

Answer 2

Bullet Fired Vs Bullet Dropped

Answer 3

Yes. Assuming you shoot the bullet horizontally on flat terrain.

The fired bullet has two forces working on it. The gas pressures from the burning gun powder (in the X direction) and gravity (in the Y direction)

The speed of the bullet in the X direction has no affect on the acceleration due to gravity.

The bullet you drop only has gravity working on it.

Gravity is the only force working in the Y direction and the two fall at the same speed. Both bullets drop 16' in the first second. The one from the gun is just much farther away when it lands.

Answer 4

Yes it is true. The bullet shot straight up goes up until it's at the maximum height. At that point it's velocity equals zero, then it starts falling back to earth. A bullet dropped from that height when the moving bullet arrived would hit the ground at the exact same time.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
If you drop a bullet at the same height as you shoot a gun will they land at the same time?
If you drop a bullet at the same hieght as you shoot a gun will they land at the same time?.......my science teacher was talking a bout this and i didn't know if it was true.......is it?

Answer 6

If the bullet is shot perfectly horizontally and there there is no cross wind to provide lift though Magnus , then yes, both bullet would hit the ground at the same time. The horizontal velocity of the bullet has no influence on its vertical speed and acceleration towards the ground.

Answer 7

No, they won't. At some point, they will both reach the same speed (terminal velocity), but the fired bullet will have a head start. The dropped bullet will have to take a couple of seconds to get up to terminal velocity, while the fired bullet will actually slow down. The head start enjoyed by the fired bullet cannot be overcome by the dropped bullet.

Answer 8

No, if you shoot a bullet at non-zero speed downwards. When you drop something it has initial speed of zero, and later it picks up some speed due to acceleration due to gravity. When you shoot a bullet downwards, you need to add the initial velocity (called muzzle velocity) plus whatever the velocity it acquires due to gravity.

In reality, the muzzle velocity of a bullet is so fast - you can even ignore the effect due to gravity.

However, if you shoot a bullet horizontally - then yes, they will land together. Shot bullet doesn't get any advantage in the direction "down"

Answer 9

Yes, they both will touch the ground at the same time, if the bullet being dropped is at the same exact height as the bullet leaving the muzzle of the firearm, all things being level. Obviously, the bullet being fired will go further, but they will both hit the ground at the same time.

Answer 10

If the gun is fired horizontally and air drag is ignored, then yes they hit the ground together since they both start out with zero VERTICAL velocity and both are subject to the same VERTICAL acceleration.

Your teacher is correct.