A soldier is responsible for measuring the muzzle velocity of a new rifle. Knowing the principles of the movement of projectiles, he decides to carry out a simple experiment in the indoor shooting range. The soldier hooks a target at a distance d = 104 m from the end of the barrel. The rifle is mounted so that the bullet exits horizontally at the same height as the target. After 6 attempts, the soldier totals the values he has measured for the distance, h, from the firing target. What is the most accurate muzzle velocity the soldier can report to his sergeant?
Answer 1
I would just average the values of h:
H = 40.23cm / 6 = 6.705cm
then use H = ½at²
0.06705m = ½ * 9.8m/s² * t²
t = 1.17 sec
and finally
V = d / t = 104 m / 1.17 s = 88.9 m/s
Alternatively, you could calculate all 6 speeds and then average them – but I think you’ll get a different answer.
I hope this helps you!