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Tyler Mastrogianakis
Mrs. McDowell
English IV
17 March 2014
Marksmanship
A military sniper is trained to shoot between his own heartbeats for a perfect shot. Having this training enabled Mr. Craig Harrison, a military sniper for the United Kingdom, to make and hit a shot from an astonishing 2,707 yards! That is over one and a half miles (Brinkley). A professional sharpshooter should first understand the aerodynamics and ballistics of different calibers, the gunsmithing knowledge needed, and the applications this knowledge and skill can have on criminal justice and the job market for a marksman.
Momentum is an objects ability to resist movement. Aerodynamics can be a very difficult topic to completely understand. First, one must know the effects of wind speed, gravity, and other forces acting on the bullet (Hokin). Gravity is one of the most prominent forces acting on any projectile, including a bullet.
The heavier the bullet is, the more effect gravity has on it. As the bullet leaves the barrel, gravity immediately begins pulling the bullet towards the ground (Hokin). The weight of the bullet is the deciding factor of how long it takes to hit the ground. For example, if one fires a bullet from a rifle at 60 inches above the ground and he drops a bullet from the same height simultaneously, they will both hit the ground at the exact same time. This is because gravity affects both bullets identically because they are the same weight. The only difference between the two is that linear momentum and rotating motion are affecting the one being fired, while the other being dropped is being affected most prominently by gravity. The bullet is also affected by centrifugal force as well as the coriolis force. Coriolis force is the rotating motion...