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Firing a bullet out of a train
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If you got on a train that went exactly the same speed as a bullet comes out of a gun. What would heppen if you fired then gun forwards out of the window of the train?
Would it go twice as fast as normal of would it not move at all?!
Furthermore, what would happen if you fired the gun backwards up the outside of the train.
Thanks for your time
Joe
Would it go twice as fast as normal of would it not move at all?!
Furthermore, what would happen if you fired the gun backwards up the outside of the train.
Thanks for your time
Joe
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Relative to the gun, the bullet leaves it at the same speed whichever direction it is pointed in.
Relative to an observer on the ground (not on the train), a bullet fired forwards will initially travel at (firing velocity + train's velocity). A bullet fired backwards will travel at (firing velocity - train's velocity).
Relative to an observer on the ground (not on the train), a bullet fired forwards will initially travel at (firing velocity + train's velocity). A bullet fired backwards will travel at (firing velocity - train's velocity).
Ok to field the pedants we'll ignore the air for the purposes of this explanation. If you are in a train doing 500mph and you fire a bullet forward at 500mph the bullet will be doing 1000 relative to the ground 500mph relative to the train. If you fire it back wards it will drop still on the floor behind the train.
Yes it would go at twice the speed of the train (relative to someone standing on the gound).
Backwards: yes, the bullet would have no speed sideways and would fall limply to the ground.
In reality, the speed of a bullet coming from a gun is something like 2000 feet per second; it would be virtually impossible to get a train up to that speed in the first place because of the high air resistance.
Backwards: yes, the bullet would have no speed sideways and would fall limply to the ground.
In reality, the speed of a bullet coming from a gun is something like 2000 feet per second; it would be virtually impossible to get a train up to that speed in the first place because of the high air resistance.
found this website: http://www.villman.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ ID=1087
Maybe i'm wrong here, but putting the train/bullets velocity aside for a moment, wouldn't the determining factors be the mass of the objects in question, the air difference in air resistance thus implied. How would the trains' 'slip stream', affect the answer if the bullet was fired behind? Please excuse grammar.
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