A rifle, at a height H above the ground, fires a bullet parallel to the ground. At the same instant and at the same height, a second bullet is dropped from rest. In the absence of air resistance, which bullet strikes the ground first and why?
2007-05-26 13:38:59 · 10 answers · asked by Kel 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
They both hit the ground at the same time, as the effect of gravity is the same on both. However, if you could fire the projectile horizontally and fast enough you would achieve orbital velocity and your bullet would go into orbit.
2007-05-26 13:43:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically they should hit the ground at the same time, however if height H is high enough and the bullet is fired fast enough, then due to the curvature of the earth, the bullet that is fired from the gun may never hit the ground because as it falls, the curvature of the earth also falls away and the bullet will be in orbit, continually falling, but never hitting the ground.
2007-05-26 14:18:21 · answer #2 · answered by cerealcoyote 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as others have mentioned the 'school' correct answer is that they hit at the same time. If you want to be a smart ***, the one dropped hits first. This would be because the earth is not flat, it drops away from you. the ground would be 'lower' relative to the starting point than the bullet was dropped. of course that assumes a smooth earth surface, which doesn't reallly happen.
2007-05-26 14:06:13 · answer #3 · answered by Piglet O 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They both strike the ground at the same time. Their vertical acceleration and velocity are the same.
2007-05-26 13:41:33 · answer #4 · answered by Northstar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I learned this in science before:
They both hit the ground at the exact same time.
2007-05-26 13:41:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
(1) What caliber? (2) What type of weapon? Rifle or handgun? (3) What's the load? Hot, speer boattail, bullet weight, powder type? Not enough info.
2016-04-01 09:58:36 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They strikes the ground at the same time.one has free fall and the other has vertical motion.
2007-05-26 13:47:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they hit it at the same time, its because there is difference in the gravity acting apon them there is no air resitance to slow down the fall and the only thing one has horizontal motion but they bother have vertical motion
2007-05-26 14:04:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they both hit the ground at the same time.
2007-05-26 13:43:16 · answer #9 · answered by Andre M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Piglet is right. The Earth isn't flat.
2007-05-26 14:33:26 · answer #10 · answered by Mark 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋