Can a Bullet Break a Bike Chain at 6m Underwater?

In summary, bullets lose most of their kinetic energy in the first 30-100 cm of water and may have a tiny bit left after penetrating 100 cm. Mythbusters tested this and found that handgun bullets do not have much energy left after 30 cm, while pointy rifle bullets may have a bit more. However, their experiments showed that all types of guns had a similar effect on breaking up in the water. The accuracy percentage of Mythbusters' experiments is estimated to be between 70-90%.
  • #1
Neil B
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< Mentor Note -- OP has been reminded to use the HH Template and show their work in future posts... >

A man fires a bullet into a swimming pool.

There is a distance of 6m from the gun to the bottom of the pool.

Does the bullet have enough force through the water to break an average bike chain - which is holding a person captive to the bottom.

(Obviously this is more about believability in energy dispersion than ultra accurate measurements)
 
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  • #2
Bullets lose most or all of their kinetic energy in the first 30-100 cm of water. Handgun bullets don't have much left after 30 cm. A pointy rifle bullet that does not tumble may have a tiny bit of energy left after penetrating 100 cm of water.
 
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  • #3
Mythbusters did an episode on this and found as Dr Courtney has said, the projectiles don't travel very far into the water and the projectiles tended to break up ( angle of penetration of the projectile into the water has some effect)

The tried hand guns, rifles and even a hi powered 50 calibre gun, the effect was pretty much the same for all of them

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mythbusters,+firing+guns+into+pool&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=D76E9A00B7A63A7A9A16D76E9A00B7A63A7A9A16cheers
Dave
 
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  • #4
I love Mythbusters and their enthusiasm for experimental approaches to questions. But, I'm not sure I would cite their episodes as reliable answers. They did get this one right though, and it was a great episode. One of the project ideas I like to pose to students is picking 10 mythbuster episodes, designing experiments to test the same questions they test, and seeing how many of the 10 experiments yield the same answers.
 
  • #5
Dr. Courtney said:
I love Mythbusters and their enthusiasm for experimental approaches to questions. But, I'm not sure I would cite their episodes as reliable answers. They did get this one right though, and it was a great episode. One of the project ideas I like to pose to students is picking 10 mythbuster episodes, designing experiments to test the same questions they test, and seeing how many of the 10 experiments yield the same answers.

What is the verification percentage? I'm curious... :smile:
 
  • #6
berkeman said:
What is the verification percentage? I'm curious... :smile:

Me too. Unfortunately, our students keep picking projects more likely to yield peer-reviewed publications and win science fairs instead of the really interesing ones like testing Mythbusters accuracy percentage. I would guess 70-90% (based on my experience in overlapping areas like blast and ballistics.)
 
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  • #7
davenn said:
even a hi powered 50mm calibre gun
To clarify, it was a .50 caliber (0.5 inch diameter bullet) gun, not a 50mm, which is a cannon (MUCH bigger weapon).
 
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  • #8
thanks for pointing out my type :)

will correct
 
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1. Can a bullet break a bike chain at 6m underwater?

It is highly unlikely that a bullet would be able to break a bike chain at 6m underwater. The force of the bullet would be significantly reduced due to the resistance of the water, and the strength of the bike chain is typically strong enough to withstand such force.

2. What factors contribute to whether or not a bullet can break a bike chain at 6m underwater?

The type and speed of the bullet, the depth of the water, and the strength of the bike chain all play a role in determining whether or not a bullet could potentially break a bike chain at 6m underwater.

3. How does water resistance affect the impact of a bullet at 6m underwater?

Water is much denser than air, and as a result, it creates more resistance for objects moving through it. This resistance would significantly decrease the force and velocity of a bullet, making it less likely to break a bike chain at 6m underwater.

4. Are there any specific types of bullets that may have a better chance of breaking a bike chain at 6m underwater?

There may be certain types of specialized bullets, such as armor-piercing rounds, that could potentially have a higher chance of breaking a bike chain at 6m underwater. However, this would also depend on the strength and composition of the bike chain.

5. Is it safe to test whether a bullet can break a bike chain at 6m underwater?

No, it is not safe to conduct such a test. Bullets can be dangerous and unpredictable, and the force of the bullet underwater can cause harm to both the person conducting the test and any surrounding objects.

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