Re: Velocity of a falling bullet

This has been an interesting thread to follow and has helped me recall some
basics, I hope correctly since it been over 30 years!.  IIRC we have to
consider the conservation of energy.  At the muzzle exit there's just KE and
no PE.  At max height when the bullet turns around there is zero velocity
therefor no KE and the only energy is PE.  On its way up the bullet has lost
KE due to friction  the air, and this KE is not recoverable.  On it's
journey the bullet gets hotter and where it's hottest is a major
calculation.  Coming down the bullet will cools and might stabilize in temp.
The terminal velocity will be a how the bullet comes down, tumbling or
otherwise, air density, etc.  When I was a teenager duck hunting several of
my companiions had been hit by "spent shot", most of the time it didn't
break the clothing but on at least one occasion I know one the guys got shot
in his arm and was afraid to tell his parents.  After the puncture wounds
healed you could see dark lumps beneath the skin and feel them, most were
still spherical.  Sometimes he would sit in class and pick pellets out. IIRC
the range was probably 50 to 100 yards and we used 12 guage with 4 shot.
hank wd5jfr
"Richard Henry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "Doug Kanter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Perhaps someone here has the insight to answer a question being tossed
> > around in another newsgroup by a bunch of people with cabin fever
(myself
> > included).
> >
> > If a bullet is fired into the air, how high will it travel, and what is
> its
> > approximate velocity when it returns to the earth (or someone's skull)?
I
> > understand there are variables like wind and humidity to take into
> account,
> > but perhaps an estimate would be possible. Here are some specifics:
> >
> > 180 grain .45 cal bullet
> >
> > Equal to .4101 oz or 11.664 grams.
> >
> > Muzzle velocity 1000 fps
> >
> A similar question has been answered on sci.electronics.design by Richard
> Steven Walz, who claimed to be able to catch bullets in his bare hand.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/xde2
>
> A lively discussion ensued.
>
>