Will all bullets drop the same vertical distance in equal times?

Question

A friend claims that bullets fired by some high-powered rifles travel for many meters in a straight-line path before they start to fall. Another friend disputes this claim and states that all bullets from any rifle drop beneath a straight-line path a vertical distance given by 1/2gt^2 and that the curved path is apparent for low velocities and less apparent for high velocities. Now it’s your turn: Will all bullets drop the same vertical distance in equal times? Explain.

Answer 1

If we neglect air resistance, all bullets fired at the same angle will fall the same distance in the same amount of time. Of course, the faster bullet will fall a shorter distance before hitting a target a definite distance away, but that is only because it has less time to fall in. Neglecting air resistance, 1/2 x gt^2 is the right formula.

Answer 2

Yes, even if one is dropped from the muzzle at the same instant another is fired they will each hit the ground at the same time.if the rifle barrel is horizontal to the ground.