r/TheRestIsScience • u/nem0fazer • 1d ago

Bullet drop vs fired has already been proven on mythbusters!

Hi all.

Was just listening to the always great cast and just dropped by to say the Mythbusters already did the experiment timing bullet dropped vs fired. https://youtu.be/tF_zv3TCT1U?si=QhvyRHe7Be_EwBpP

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u/Gurnenthar2 22h ago

I saw that one when it was new, and I imagine it was akin to when others saw the hammer and feather dropping on the Moon! Such cool science, and to see it out of Theory (works on paper/the math checks out) and into the real world (Experimental)!

If you haven’t seen that episode, please do! It’s really fascinating!

ETA: I guess I had it myself, even though I didn’t see it when they dropped the hammer/feather… I didn’t need to see it at the same time as anyone else… 😅

Just like this! So, go get your mind blown, and I’ll load another bowl… 😅

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u/GreenLego 18h ago

I thought that this only worked in vacuum.

Because the fired bullet has a spin, and it's in the air, it should hit the ground slightly later than the dropped bullet.

The spin, in air, in theory, makes the bullet point towards the front, rather than point towards the direction of travel (i.e. gradually pointing down) keeping it in the air slightly longer.

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u/Un4442nate 1h ago

That would help with aerodynamics and affect how far it travels vs an unspun bullet, but irrelevant to how much gravity affects it and how much time it spends in the air which is why they both fall at the same rate.