You're on a train and fire a bullet in the opposite direction at the same speed what will happen to the bullet

Question

You're on a train and fire a bullet in the opposite direction at the same speed what will happen to the bullet

Answer 1

The part about "at the same speed" has me baffled, you mean the train is going at the same speed the bullet would be going?

Thats over the speed of sound dude.

Speed of sound is I think a bit under a thousand feet per second, most bullets from rifles are 2000 ft or more, sometimes much more.

I am assuming you are firing the bullet OUTSIDE the train?

If so it will travel it's normal velicity minus the speed of train except there will still be the wind resistance to overcome, which it cant.

so, if the train is going a thousand feet per second, and your bullet velicity is a thousand feet per second, the bullet will more or less "hang" in the air briefly and then drop to the ground.

Answer 2

The  bullet will travel towards the back of the train at bullet speed.  If you not on the train and watching this from the side it would look like the bullet was stationary(the bullet will remain in the same location according the latitude and longitude on earth).  The bullet was already traveling at bullet speed in the opposite direction due to the fact it was on the train.  Firing the bullet in the opposite direction just made the bullet return to no velocity.

Answer 3

does the train travel 1000 miles per sec.

Answer 4

To you, firing the gun, you will see the bullet travel to the back of the train at the muzzle velocity (while the train is moving at that same muzzle velocity -- as you stated).

To someone standing in a field watching through the windows of the train as the train goes by (when you fired the gun), they will see the bullet as if it were standing still in mid-air while the train kept moving.  As the train moves forward, the bullet remains in front of the person in the field, until the train reaches the end, and the back of the train hits the bullet (then the bullet is out in the open, but still in front of you).  The bullet would be falling down, though.

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Answer 5

It will hit the guard or one of the passengers and kill them and you will get done for murder and possessing an illegal firearm.

Duh!!

Answer 6

You have a gun that shoots the same speed as the train?  You gotta be kidding.  Let's call it a slingshot instead.

Answer 7

its hard to get the bullet to slow down to train speed. and whats the opposite direction. frontwards backwards? how about does firing a bullet while driving 50 miles an hour make the bullet propel faster? no. because at the split second the gun fires the car, in theory isnt moving (much).

Answer 8

The bullet as it appears from the muzzle is acted on by both air Resistance and gravity.

To the outside observer, the bullet appears at the muzzle and drops being blown in the direction of the trains's travel by the air in the train.

If it goes out an open window at the back of the train, it will fall to the ground at the speed accelerated by the air in the train. Not far from it's origin but significantly along the direction of the train's travel.

Answer 9

Yeah, I'm wondering what kind of train and what caliber weapon. Steam Engine, Coal power, Diesel power, monorail Bullet train.

Am I firing a rifle (30.-06), handgun (.40 cal at 480fps), Barret .50 cal, etc...?

Too many variable with too little details to answer...sorry! :D

Answer 10

it will hit something

Answer 11

It depends on the frame of reference from which you're observing the train/bullet.

From *within* the train, the bullet will move away from the gun at 'bullet speed' and hit the back of the car.

When observed from the outside the bullet stands still while the train moves around it and the back of the car will hit the bullet.

Things change a bit, if the speed goes up towards the speed of light - ask Einstein in that case :-) (Actually that kind of problem is exactly what 'inspired' Einstein to propose his "Theory of Relativity".)

Answer 12

Dude, That's a fast train !  How's about you're in the back of a pickup truck, going 50 mph, & ya throw a baseball rearward at approx. 50 mph? It'll pretty much not move.