Blow my mind

2012-12-15 11:19:05

#151

Brasso: member; +1,549|6630

DrunkFace wrote:
Brasso wrote:
Ty wrote:
If you hold a pistol out in front of you and in your other hand hold a bullet at the same height and then you fire the pistol and drop the bullet at the same time, both bullets will hit the ground together.

I had a hard time believing that one but it checks out.

Edit: Apparently Mythbusters checked it too.
why wouldn't it? y-axis acceleration is exactly the same
They're not in a vacuum, so will be passing through different densities of air changing drag and therefore acceleration. Also the differing methods of travel will cause different air disturbance which may give one or the other a form of lift or drag. And finally the bullet which is fired has to actually fall further to account for the curvature of the earth.

point 1 and 3 are very valid, but i don't know about point 2. wouldn't the bullet that was fired have equal parts lift and a downward force? (because the bullet is symmetrical along the axis that it's flying)

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

2012-12-15 11:26:17

#152

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|6681|Disaster Free Zone

I'm no Aerodynamicists, hence the 'may'.

2012-12-15 12:24:06

#153

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5358|London, England

Both bullets would start with zero velocity in the y direction. They would experience the same resistance in the y direction as they fall as their velocities in that direction would be equal at all times. Air resistance really only factors in in the x direction for the bullet that is fired by the gun because the velocity is so much higher. Assuming you're in an enclosed space where wind is not a factor and air density is uniform, they should hit the ground at the same time. Mythbusters negated those variables by performing the experiment in a long hangar.

Both bullets will hit the ground with [(2)(9.81m/s^2)(height(m))]^.5 velocity in the y-direction, though the fired bullet will come down at an angle because it still has a high x-direction velocity.

Last edited by Jay (2012-12-15 12:25:59)

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2012-12-15 18:29:03

#154

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|6681|Disaster Free Zone

the fired bullet is spinning and is a stable horizontal position, while the dropped bullet is more likely to tumble giving it varied cross section and wind resistance while falling.

I fully understand that gravity is constant (at the same altitude) but the real world is not a year 9 physics problem and has many more factors involved, minute as they may be. The differences are going to be negligible for a practical purpose but there are going to be differences non the less.

As for mythbusters... as enjoyable as the show is, they are not scientist and their methods are rife with inconstancies, prejudice and assumptions, which renders pretty much all of the more technical or human feat myths inconclusive or just plain wrong.

2012-12-15 19:01:00

#155

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6153|what

Fire it over a longer distance and if the ground is warm the hot air rising will affect the bullets y axis.

2012-12-15 19:12:55

#156

Pochsy: Artifice of Eternity; +702|5543|Toronto

Fire it with enough gun powder and it will leave the atmosphere which will affect the bullet's y axis.

The shape of an eye in front of the ocean, digging for stones and throwing them against its window pane. Take it down dreamer, take it down deep. - Other Families

2012-12-15 19:23:38

#157

Winston_Churchill: Bazinga!; +521|6739|Toronto | Canada

wow for the longest time i thought the gun was pointed down and couldnt understand why you all thought they would hit at the same time. now i see you were assuming it was pointed forward...

2012-12-15 20:10:11

#158

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5358|London, England

Winston_Churchill wrote:
wow for the longest time i thought the gun was pointed down and couldnt understand why you all thought they would hit at the same time. now i see you were assuming it was pointed forward...

Pointed perfectly horizontal .

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2012-12-15 20:21:39

#159

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,810|6106|eXtreme to the maX

Brasso wrote:
point 1 and 3 are very valid, but i don't know about point 2. wouldn't the bullet that was fired have equal parts lift and a downward force? (because the bullet is symmetrical along the axis that it's flying)

Its symmetric, it would have no lift if it weren't rotating.

Since its rotating if it weren't symmetric it would still have no net lift in any direction.

Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!

2012-12-16 02:00:32