Can you fire a gun on the moon.?

Question

My husband would like to know.!

Answer 1

Personally, no because I don't have a gun licence. (joke).

Assume that the propulsive charge is self-contained and doesn't need atmospheric oxygen.

Because there is no air to impede the bullet it would fly considerably farther than it would on Earth. Also, because gravity is only 1/3 it would fly farther than on Earth.
Not only that, but the Moon is considerably smaller than Earth.
Therefore if you launched a bullet it would fly until the Moon's gravity pulled it to ground. If the projectile's velocity was high enough it's 'droop' could equal the curve of the surface - so it would never actually land.

This would mean that a good sized artillery shell (e.g. from a WW2 battleship) might be able to actually enter a low orbit so you could shoot yourself in the back.

This is a very simplified version of the type of ballistics which keep artificial satellites in orbit around the Earth.

Answer 2

a common black powder weapon could quite hearth on the Moon. The chemical reaction used for such weapons is self-holding and does not prefer an oxygen ecosystem (or any ecosystem for that count) to paintings. although, the intense situations present on the Moon could reason it to function in any different case, as an occasion the explosion could be much less effective, or for the period of the day the barrel could warmth up sufficient to jam the bullet, or perhaps to reason the powder to circulate off spontaneously. additionally, the bullet could circulate plenty farther than it could in the international, as a results of the two the decrease gravity and the shortcoming of air resistance.

Answer 3

Yes you can fire a gun on the moon....the cartridge contains gunpowder which contains all the chemicals required to make an explosion propelling the bullet out of the barrel.

Answer 4

Sure you could. The propellant inside the shell casing is self-oxidizing, meaning it has its own supply of oxygen to start the combustion. It wouldn't work otherwise since it's sealed behind the slug and isn't exposed to outside air. The slug would fly a lot further with no air resistance but otherwise yeah, fire away.

Answer 5

Yes.

There is no problem about lack of oxygen. The cartridge holds the explosive which includes the oxidising agent, so air is not required.

As the moon's gravity is less that the earth, the bullet would go further before coming to land on the moons surface (from whatever angle of inclination it was fired).

Answer 6

A modern bullet yes...

There is a self-oxidizing mixture in smokeless powder. It would fire on the moon for the same reason that it would fire underwater. It has it's own supply of oxygen...

Having said that, depdending on the caliber, you would have a heck of time with the recoil in 1/6 gravity!! I wouldn't recommend firing a S&W 500 (.50 caliber)... :) You might find yourself looking up afterward...

Answer 7

Yes

Answer 8

Yes, but do be sure not to shoot yourself in the foot. While this is a bad idea here on Earth, it would be fatal on the Moon. Your air supply would blow and you will boil.

Don't it make yuh just wanna scream?

Answer 9

In practice, the space agencies probably wouldn't allow firearms to be carried into space. However, the theory behind the weaponry says yes - since bullets are 'powered' by explosive propellants which carry their own oxygen supply.

Answer 10

Yes, you can - and due to the abscence of atmosphere and only very weak gravity, the bullet would go off on a straight trajectory and for an exceptionally long distance.

However, you would probably need to apply for a special license and - assuming he can retrieve it - your husband would have considerable difficulty burying your body (you would very likely float about)