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The 'wondering about stuff' thread


Soda Jerk

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Regarding shooting a straight line - providing there is no resistance etc, wouldnt the bullet just keep moving?

The rifle has given the bullet momentum - which projects the bullet - there is nothing to stop the momentum so it would just keep going right?

whats the physics term? The momentum won't stop until an equal and opposing force stops it? Something like that.

Gravity is going to pull the bullet down towards the ground though. You would need to be up with satellites for the bullet to "fall" round the curve of the earth without eventually being dragged in close enough to hit the ground.

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If you shot a bullet in the air, if all the variables are perfect, then you'd shoot yourself in the foot. The speed at which the bullet would fall to the ground would see to that, wouldn't it?

EDIT: forgot about the world turning. This is what happens when you read a post, post your own then realise you missed the next page of posts.

The world turning would have no effect as you would be turning with the world as would the bullet as it left the gun, as would the air around it. The world actually turns at a fair old lick (the circumference of the earth in 1 day), so we know this is true because if we jump up in the air we land in the same place!

Air friction and gravity would slow the bullet down until it stopped. At this point the bullet might start to tumble over 180 degrees due to aerodynamics. The bullet would then accelerate in the other direction, probably to around 120mph before gravity was offset by air resistance.

If all variables were perfect (gun held exactly vertical, zero wind, perfectly formed bullet) then the bullet would re-enter the gun barrel (although possibly pointing the other way round).

Unless you farted and moved the gun.

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Nah i know the bullet would obv stop - but i meant in an "ideal" world - like where there was no forces acting upon it.

I want to know how they test the range on these weapons... Surely the 1.5 miles in the case of that sniper rifle would be the ultimate range in "normal" conditions?

This thread is like that thing on brainiac - things that make you go hmm. :p

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Nah i know the bullet would obv stop - but i meant in an "ideal" world - like where there was no forces acting upon it.

I want to know how they test the range on these weapons... Surely the 1.5 miles in the case of that sniper rifle would be the ultimate range in "normal" conditions?

This thread is like that thing on brainiac - things that make you go hmm. :p

Ah... I was still basing my question in the 'real' world. You're talking vaccums and zero gravity... its a fucking free for all with that shit. Not a clue.

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Nah i know the bullet would obv stop - but i meant in an "ideal" world - like where there was no forces acting upon it.

I want to know how they test the range on these weapons... Surely the 1.5 miles in the case of that sniper rifle would be the ultimate range in "normal" conditions?

This thread is like that thing on brainiac - things that make you go hmm. :p

The projectiles utimate range (on earth) occurs when it is fired at a 45 degree angle. The is different from it's maximum effective range which most likely uses a flatter trajectory. The max effective range is the range at which it's possible to both hit and damage the target.

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The world turning would have no effect as you would be turning with the world as would the bullet as it left the gun, as would the air around it. The world actually turns at a fair old lick (the circumference of the earth in 1 day), so we know this is true because if we jump up in the air we land in the same place!

Air friction and gravity would slow the bullet down until it stopped. At this point the bullet might start to tumble over 180 degrees due to aerodynamics. The bullet would then accelerate in the other direction, probably to around 120mph before gravity was offset by air resistance.

If all variables were perfect (gun held exactly vertical, zero wind, perfectly formed bullet) then the bullet would re-enter the gun barrel (although possibly pointing the other way round).

Unless you farted and moved the gun.

Was hoping you'd get in amongst. You seem to know your science.

The reference to Keppler's 3rd law of fart dynamics I particularly admired.

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But that would still be effective range, so the bullet can travel for 1 1/2 miles and still have enough force to penetrate. The aiming slightly above will have to do with curvature of the earth. If it's still effective at 1.5 miles, then surely the bullet could actually travel for abotu 4 miles before coming to an unimpeded stop.

Very true.

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It's your knees you need syrupised.

No (clearly you're a text book rider).

Next time you need to fuck someone in outer space, use the spoon position and interlock your legs. No floor required that way.

If you pick a fat hairy chick then you can hang onto her folds, and the hair will give you purchase. You use the syrup to counteract the effects of sweat.

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Simple secondary school physics and the muzzle velocity of the rifle should give you an answer if you ignore air resistance. The bullet will take the same amount to time to hit the ground if you just drop it from the same height as the barrel.

or, put it another way:

t=sqrt(2d/g) where d is the distance to the ground and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

Multiply muzzle velocity by time and there you go. Job done.

As for firing it straight up in the air: this has been tried several times as an experiment. Very few bullets came back anywhere near the firing spot. Funny thing though, it seems bullets are more stable going arse first so they don't normally turn round on the way back down, as you'd expect them to.

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