Science Question

[OldBuzzard]

If a bullet is fired straight down from a high enough altitude, will it slow down because of air resistance or will it accelerate because of gravity

 

[hmt5000]

It will slow. Also people who think bullets rise for a bit before falling have no concept of physics.

 

[OldBuzzard]

I assume you mean if fired from a perfectly level barrel.

 

[Cyberty]

The projectile will accelerate at 32ft per second per second due to the force of Gravity . It will accelerate until the air resistance is greater than the force of gravity. At this point the projectile has reached terminal velocity. To calculate the terminal velocity you would need to insure the projectile flies straight, calculate the air resistance based on the design of the bullets leading edge, mass of bullet, and air density. You then can calculate if the terminal velocity is higher or less than the initial muzzle speed of projectile.

 

[hmt5000]

The projectile will accelerate at 32ft per second per second due to the force of Gravity It will accelerate until the air resistance is greater than the force of gravity. At this point the projectile has reached terminal velocity. To calculate the terminal velocity you would need to insure the projectile flies straight, calculate the air resistance based on the design of the bullets leading edge, mass of bullet, and air density. You then can calculate if the terminal velocity is higher or less than the initial muzzle speed of projectile.

 

[Dinkis14]

I assume you mean if fired from a perfectly level barrel.

He probably means it follows the trajectory. But it won’t rise outside of its trajectory, unlike most people think

 

[Cyberty]

He probably means it follows the trajectory. But it won’t rise outside of its trajectory, unlike most people think

OP stated that it was fired straight down.

 

[Dinkis14]

OP stated that it was fired straight down.

I know. The other dude may have been off. Or maybe I am. Who knows. I’m hammered

 

[hmt5000]

I know. The other dude may have been off. Or maybe I am. Who knows. I’m hammered

I agree that it will accelerate faster until critical velocity and then it will decrease speed. I was just throwing out that people that think bullets rise upon coming out of barrel baffle me. I've actually explained poa poi to people and they still call bullshit and say it rises coming out of barrel. the fact its fired straight down, some would think it still flies to 12 o'clock of the barrel... Im hammered too and I just get worked up over certain things and that is one of them. I've actually used the "firing a bullet straight down do you still think it "rises"?" and dudes will just argue that it only rises against gravity. Its the craziest shit i've ever seen with what should be 1300's science.

 

[Cre8ive]

It will increase speed and be the size of a Volkswagen mini-van @OldBuzzard
It will have immeasurable kinetic energy and probably burrow up to 1500 feet into the earth.

 

[Hoppo]

The projectile will accelerate at 32ft per second per second due to the force of Gravity . It will accelerate until the air resistance is greater than the force of gravity. At this point the projectile has reached terminal velocity. To calculate the terminal velocity you would need to insure the projectile flies straight, calculate the air resistance based on the design of the bullets leading edge, mass of bullet, and air density. You then can calculate if the terminal velocity is higher or less than the initial muzzle speed of projectile.

Or you can just assume air resistance is negligible. Boom, physics quiz question.