As you find out the answer, you will also have a quick recap of what you learned in physics what goes up must come down. There have been reports of bystanders getting injured or even killed by stray bullets fired into the air in celebration.
The velocity at which a bullet is fired depends on the type of gun used. The muzzle velocity can range from 120 m/s to 370 m/s in muskets, to more than 1,200 m/s in modern rifles. The velocity of the bullet is highest at the muzzle and drops off steadily because of air resistance.
If a gun is fired vertically into the air, the bullet travels up and then falls back at terminal velocity of 91 m/s. (Terminal velocity is reached when air resistance equals the weight of a falling object – so the speed of the object becomes constant) Recent studies suggest that a bullet travelling at the speed of 61 m/s is powerful enough to penetrate skin.
However, the shooter himself is unlikely to get hurt. The bullet is usually caught up by the wind and deposited at a distance where an innocent victim may suffer grievous injury.
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