Question

A spring-loaded gun is aimed directly at a distant bull's eye. Because of gravity, the projectile misses and hits at distance y below the target. Ignoring air drag, to hit the bull's eye the gun should be aimed above it by a distance of __________

Answer 1

Answer:

slightly higher than y

Explanation:

The initial/previous upward component of the bullet's velocity does not really have effect on the constant downward acceleration due to gravity. Since you must aim upward, there will be less or declined horizontal velocity, therefore it will take more time for the bullet to get to the plane of the target or aim. The bullet will now have more time to drop away from the straight line path along which it was aimed.

Furthermore, this problem assumes ideal or perfect conditions (no effects from air resistance). The high speed of a bullet has no much or less effect in this regards.