Why is it impossible to curve a bullet like they do in the movie Wanted?

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[I did see that this was answered a few years ago but the answer was a little too unscientific] I’m watching the movie and decided to Google it. All the answers are really physics heavy and I’m having trouble understanding. One answer even went on to speak about long distance military shooting, the rotation and curvature of the earth, and the fact that the bullet and earth themselves are both gyroscopes. The Magnus effect was mentioned as well. I still dont understand why it’s not possible.

In: Physics

7 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Its spinning the wrong way. If the bullet were spinning laterally to the direction of travel, it could be curved. Because the bullet is spinning parallel to the direction of travel, the wind is travelling across the bullet in at the same speed on all sides, and so there is no difference pulling it in a direction.

The concept of rifling is designed to pull the bullet in a straight line, by causing it to spin parallel with the direction of travel. It’s like, guns are specifically designed that they cant be curved.

If you had a musket, and the barrel was rifled in such a way as to cause the ball to spin “backwards” when holding the gun upright, then it could theoretically be done.

Make sense?

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