Q5DQ - University Physics with Modern Physics

Question

At the instant that you fire a bullet horizontally from a rifle, you drop a bullet from the height of the gun barrel. If there is no air resistance, which bullet hits the level ground first? Explain. 

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Both the bullets will hit the ground at the same time.

Step 2: Concept/Significance of projectile.

A projectile is an entity that is fired with a certain beginning velocity and is permitted to move in two dimensions under the effect of gravity alone.

Step 3: Determination of bullet which hits the level ground first

The trajectory of the bullet is given by,

                                               

In the x and y dimensions, motion along the illustrated trajectory may be divided into two perpendicular components. These movements are unrelated to one another. As a result, particles launched horizontally from A and dropped from A will take the same amount of time to reach the earth. In other terms, the time it takes to fall from a specific height will be completely independent of the starting velocity's direction.

 

Thus, both the bullets will hit the ground at the same time.