Re: Velocity of a falling bullet

"Don A. Gilmore" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > I didn't look it up but I think its closer to 18,000 mph but your
correct
> > of course to a point and that is that the bullet has no sustained thrust
> > once it leaves the muzzle and velocity drops off fast.
>
> A bullet is only accelerated while it is confined in the gun barrel.  Its
> velocity as it leaves the barrel is its maximum, medium or no medium,
since
> it is no longer propelled by expanding gas.  If the bullet is fired
> horizontally in a vacuum it will continue at this constant horizontal
> velocity indefinitely without ever slowing down or speeding up, as long as
> it does not strike anything.  If fired vertically, gravity is the only
> slowing force on the bullet and the time and distance that it will travel
> before reversing direction can be calculated exactly, regardless of the
mass
> of the bullet.

What if it is fired down?