The Curious Phenomenon of the Moving Bullet

[jubble]

Hi.

If you were on a train going 700mph and you shot a gun out the back that fired at 700mph. Would the bullet drop straight to the ground relative to the earth?

 

[Meir Achuz]

Yes....

 

[m2003]

I find this question to be quite intriguing and it raises some interesting concepts about the physics of motion and velocity. Let's break down the scenario and analyze it from a scientific perspective.

Firstly, it is important to understand that the speed of an object is relative to its frame of reference. In this case, the frame of reference is the moving train, which is traveling at a velocity of 700mph. This means that any object on the train, including the bullet fired from the gun, will also be moving at a velocity of 700mph relative to the train.

Now, let's consider the motion of the bullet after it is fired from the gun. The bullet will have an initial velocity of 700mph, but it will also be affected by the force of gravity. This means that the bullet will follow a parabolic path as it travels through the air, eventually falling to the ground due to the influence of gravity.

However, since the train is also moving at a high velocity, the bullet will also be affected by the train's velocity. This is known as the principle of superposition, which states that when two velocities are combined, the resulting velocity is the sum of the two individual velocities. In this case, the bullet's velocity will be a combination of its initial velocity of 700mph and the train's velocity of 700mph.

So, to answer the question, no, the bullet will not drop straight to the ground relative to the Earth. It will follow a curved path due to the combined effects of its initial velocity and the train's velocity. Depending on the angle at which the gun was fired, the bullet may even land behind the train or in front of it.

In conclusion, the phenomenon of a moving bullet on a fast-moving train is a result of the principles of motion and velocity. It highlights the importance of considering the frame of reference when analyzing the motion of objects. I hope this explanation has shed some light on this curious scenario.