Question

2. If a bullet is shot horizontally from a gun at some high speed, and at the same instant the shell casing falls to the ground, which hits the ground first? Explain. When each hits the ground, how will their speeds compare? Explain.

Answer 1

If a shot is fired horizontally, the bullets intial vertical velocity is 0.

The shell's vertical velocity is also 0

So to fall through the same height, both will require exactly same time as both have same vertical initial velocity.

When they hit ground, both bullet and shell will have same vertical speed as they started falling with 0 speed and they fall same height.

The horizontal speed of bullet remains equal to its initial horizontal speed. The shell will have 0 horizontal speed. So the total speed of bullet will be more than total speed of shell.