A bullet is fired horizontally at a target 20 m away. The velocity of the bullet as it leaves the gun is 200 m/s. How much, approximately, will the bullet drop on its way to the target?
A) 0.05 m
B) 0.1 m
C) 0.2 m
D) 0.3 m
E) 0.4 m

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The bullet's vertical drop can be calculated using the formula $d = \frac{1}{2}gt^2$, where $g$ is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately $9.8 m/s^2$) and $t$ is the time of flight. The time $t$ can be found from the horizontal motion, given by $t = \frac{d}{v}$, where $d = 20 m$ is the distance to the target and $v = 200 m/s$ is the velocity of the bullet. Thus, $t = \frac{20}{200} = 0.1 s$. Substituting $t = 0.1 s$ into the formula for vertical drop gives $d = \frac{1}{2} \times 9.8 \times (0.1)^2 = 0.049 m$, which is approximately $0.05 m$.

A Bullet Is Fired Horizontally at a Target 20 M