If someone were to fire a gun in space, would the bullet travel normally?
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“Normally”? No.
Normally (on Earth) the bullet immediately begins to fall toward the center of the Earth. If fired level, it’s trajectory will be out and down. When firing at any target on earth, no matter the distance, you must fire ‘up’ to arc the bullet to the target. Your bullet also loses speed over time due to air resistance.
In space, the trajectory will depend on the nearest objects of substantial mass. Say you’re way out near the orbit of Pluto, stationary in the solar plane, and fire a bullet in toward the Sun. The trajectory will be almost flat. It may be perturbed by some masses in the solar system, but unless it comes close to one it will not be by much.
There will also not be any air resistance (maybe Solar Wind resistance..but neg liable). So it will accelerate or decelerate (and curve) depending on the masses it passes. If there is nothing close enough to have a large effect on it, over time the bullet will accelerate due to the gravity of the Sun.
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