NationStates Jolt Archive

I know modern guns will fire in zero-g, but would it send you flying backwards at super-fast speeds like some books and movies depict? Or is this another myth?

Not nessesarily at super-fast speeds. But it would push you backwards. Unless you have something to brace yourself against, you wouldn't stop going backwards until you struck something.

And you wouldn't go as fast as the bullet, because you possess a much greater mass.

I know modern guns will fire in zero-g, but would it send you flying backwards at super-fast speeds like some books and movies depict? Or is this another myth?

It'd probably push you back a bit, but other than that, I direct you to something that happens to show something firing something in space....somthing...

HTKAM (www.stanford.edu/~scodary/tkam)

Not nessesarily at super-fast speeds. But it would push you backwards. Unless you have something to brace yourself against, you wouldn't stop going backwards until you struck something.

And you wouldn't go as fast as the bullet, because you possess a much greater mass.

Fuck, you beat me to it.

It would push you back with the force of the explosion of the gun powder in the round. Definately gonna move you some but I would imagine the explosion isn't nearly strong enough to push something with as large a mass as a human being back "super-fast".

More interesting to think about a very small "pen gun" or something that would shoot the opposite way at roughly the same velocity as the bullet. Put a remote trigger on that and spin it in midair and that is one hell of a game of Russian Roullette.:D

If the bullet mass is ten grams and you fire it from a rifle at a velocity of 1000 metres a second, then if you massed 75 kilos you would be pushed back at a speed of 0.133 metres per second.

If the bullet is big and weighs ten grams and you fire it from a rifle at a velocity of 1000 metres a second, then if you massed 75 kilos you would be pushed back at a speed of 0.133 metres per second.

Damn. That isn't much at all. Hollywood and books have it wrong again.

Damn. That isn't much at all. Hollywood and books have it wrong again.

Well, what if you're firing some kind of rifle? You wouldn't slow down, so all the shots should add up.

Well, what if you're firing some kind of rifle? You wouldn't slow down, so all the shots should add up.

So is it possible for some form of zero-g gun to exist? How would it work?

So is it possible for some form of zero-g gun to exist? How would it work?

Would have to fire projectiles of equal size at equal speed in opposite directions.

Would have to fire projectiles of equal size at equal speed in opposite directions.

Or a smaller one a lot faster, or a big one slower.

Or a smaller one a lot faster, or a big one slower.

Right... but equal amounts of force in both direction.

Well, what if you're firing some kind of rifle? You wouldn't slow down, so all the shots should add up.

Yep, but good luck aiming after the first shot. And you'd be doing cartwheels. But I guess you could put the butt of the rifle against your belly and fire. Ow.

So is it possible for some form of zero-g gun to exist? How would it work?
There have been plans on using an opposite jet of compressed air to counterbalance knockback

As long as the momentums equal 0 you are good to go

Would have to fire projectiles of equal size at equal speed in opposite directions.

That would encourage peaceful solutions to disputes.

Yep, but good luck aiming after the first shot. And you'd be doing cartwheels. But I guess you could put the butt of the rifle against your belly and fire. Ow.

Just turn it to the side and start firing. SPINNING WHEEL OF DEATH!