Abstract

Citation

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Bryan, K. (2022). 3-095-ShotInWater-ModelingScenario. SIMIODE, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/GNPW-6G15

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Article Context

Description

It's a classic scene from an action movie: our hero is fleeing the bad guys and dives over the side of a boat to escape, then begins to swim away underwater. The villains draw guns and proceed to fire at the hero, but the view beneath the surface shows the bullets slowing dramatically as they enter, quickly rendering them harmless. But is this realistic?

This project uses Newton's Second Law of Motion in conjunction with a quadratic model for the resistance experienced by a bullet moving through water to analyze a classic action movie scene: Do bullets moving through water slow as dramatically as depicted in the movies, so that someone a few feet underwater is safe?

A computer algebra system can be helpful for performing computations, but is not essential.