Adding Reply Archived Topic: It will not be bumped to the top of the forum. Topic Shooting a Gun in Space Membername   Not a member? Sign Up Free (takes 20 seconds) Password   Forgotten your password? Post Font: Verdana Arial Black Georgia Comic Sans Impact   Size: Tiny Normal Big Huge   Color: Default Dark Red Red Orange Brown Green Olive Cyan Blue Dark Blue Indigo Black [ Check Spelling ] [ Post Preview ] [ LiveTags ] FAQ Keyword Search: Post Options Favorites Manager Notify me of new replies to this topic by email Notify me of new replies to this topic by private message Original Post jonlester31 Posted at 5:06 pm on Sep. 2, 2008 What would happen if you shot a gun in space? My friend and I were talking about it.  Would the gunpowder need oxygen to combust? or would it fire?

Replies dfjhhf Posted at 3:32 pm on Nov. 25, 2008 Bullets have oxidizers in them, so i think if you had some good ammunition it would fire. No one would of thought you could fire a bullet under water but you can. The real question is if it did fire, would you hear it? allsmiles Posted at 9:04 am on Sep. 8, 2008 Quote: from Cumulonimbus at 4:02 am on Sep. 7, 2008 Quote: from Defenestrator at 9:28 pm on Sep. 6, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 9:32 am on Sep. 4, 2008 Quote: from jonlester31 at 9:18 pm on Sep. 3, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 8:04 am on Sep. 3, 2008 It would work. Only, you'd go spinning really fast when you fired it... and that'd probably send your brain into a major stupor. you mean the gun would move around the bullet?   No, you'll experience the same force in the opposite direction, effectively. Unless you hold it exactly central to your body, you'll go spinning backwards really quite fast. Chances are you'd be forced unconscious, or at least temporarily blind.      I highly doubt that it would be that severe. Guns dont knock you over on earth so they certainly wont send you spinning at deadly rates. Actually, it would be that severe. There's friction on Earth. And more significantly, gravity and thus weight. You have practically (let's not ignore the minimal amount of gravity in the universe wide) no resistance to the energy release from the gun, which even on earth launches bullets at at least 700mph. You'll spin and/or travel at pretty much the same speed. nigeltheoutlaw Posted at 7:26 pm on Sep. 7, 2008 Wouldn't fire without oxygen. But supposing we ignore that, it would go forever in a line until an outside force acted upon it. Cumulonimbus Posted at 8:02 pm on Sep. 6, 2008 Quote: from Defenestrator at 9:28 pm on Sep. 6, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 9:32 am on Sep. 4, 2008 Quote: from jonlester31 at 9:18 pm on Sep. 3, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 8:04 am on Sep. 3, 2008 It would work. Only, you'd go spinning really fast when you fired it... and that'd probably send your brain into a major stupor. you mean the gun would move around the bullet?    No, you'll experience the same force in the opposite direction, effectively. Unless you hold it exactly central to your body, you'll go spinning backwards really quite fast. Chances are you'd be forced unconscious, or at least temporarily blind.   I highly doubt that it would be that severe.  Guns dont knock you over on earth so they certainly wont send you spinning at deadly rates. Actually, it would be that severe.  There's friction on Earth.   Defenestrator Posted at 6:28 pm on Sep. 6, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 9:32 am on Sep. 4, 2008 Quote: from jonlester31 at 9:18 pm on Sep. 3, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 8:04 am on Sep. 3, 2008 It would work. Only, you'd go spinning really fast when you fired it... and that'd probably send your brain into a major stupor. you mean the gun would move around the bullet? No, you'll experience the same force in the opposite direction, effectively. Unless you hold it exactly central to your body, you'll go spinning backwards really quite fast. Chances are you'd be forced unconscious, or at least temporarily blind. I highly doubt that it would be that severe.  Guns dont knock you over on earth so they certainly wont send you spinning at deadly rates. allsmiles Posted at 9:32 am on Sep. 4, 2008 Quote: from jonlester31 at 9:18 pm on Sep. 3, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 8:04 am on Sep. 3, 2008 It would work. Only, you'd go spinning really fast when you fired it... and that'd probably send your brain into a major stupor. you mean the gun would move around the bullet? No, you'll experience the same force in the opposite direction, effectively. Unless you hold it exactly central to your body, you'll go spinning backwards really quite fast. Chances are you'd be forced unconscious, or at least temporarily blind. bigshow200 Posted at 4:25 am on Sep. 4, 2008 you blow a big hole in the wall and get sucked out of your rocket, your body will explode and your brains get sucked out your eye hole haheheha   Cumulonimbus Posted at 4:00 am on Sep. 4, 2008 Yes, a gun would work in space, but I wouldn't suggest firing even a small one while in it or Newton's 3rd Law of Motion will bite you in the ass.   jonlester31 Posted at 1:18 pm on Sep. 3, 2008 Quote: from allsmiles at 8:04 am on Sep. 3, 2008 It would work. Only, you'd go spinning really fast when you fired it... and that'd probably send your brain into a major stupor. you mean the gun would move around the bullet? allsmiles Posted at 5:04 am on Sep. 3, 2008 It would work. Only, you'd go spinning really fast when you fired it... and that'd probably send your brain into a major stupor. sLyDeWaIzE Posted at 5:43 pm on Sep. 2, 2008 that would be awesome....id enlist...lol jk jk Acid World Posted at 5:38 pm on Sep. 2, 2008 Most gun ammunitions come with oxidizers added in for more effective firing, or less chance of the gun not firing (I'd imagine). Perhaps that would be enough for the combustion that would fire off the bullet, perhaps not? Not a very important question to scientists unless we are going to start wars on the moon. WhiteDwarf Posted at 5:36 pm on Sep. 2, 2008 You people are full of fail.  Gunpowder contains its own oxidizing component- potassium nitrate. The cartridge is a closed self-sufficient system, it doesn't suck in some oxygen from the air.   YES- A GUN WOULD WORK JUST FINE IN SPACE! barnabas Posted at 5:32 pm on Sep. 2, 2008 Gunpowder contains oxygen guys. sLyDeWaIzE Posted at 5:29 pm on Sep. 2, 2008 Quote: from Sarge at 8:22 pm on Sep. 2, 2008 I would think so. You can fire a gun underwater, why not in a vacuum? Yea but water does contain oxygen, and with the heat generated from the combustion...idk the specifics but i would think if oxygen was necessary water could provide enough oxygen Most recent 15 of 32 previous replies displayed.