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Will a gun fire in vacuum?
Not that this is a practical question, but if you had a total vacuum would a gun still work? Does the propellant require atmospheric oxygen in order to burn or does the case have an oxidizer mixed in with the propellant?
5 Answers
- WillLv 51 decade agoFavorite Answer
Yes it would fire. The bullet would travel incredibly fast for a long time due to the lack of atmospheric resistance.
- 1 decade ago
Yes. In gunpowder there's a chemical called potassium nitrate which provides oxygen for the chemical recation.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
I'm not sure but I would think not because when the bullet fires it is a miniature explosion in the barrel. What I am saying is Explosion=Fire= Needs oxygen to be created. But this is just my guess. I am not sure on the exact answer.
- 1 decade ago
yes, smokeless powder has an oxidizing compound in it which means it would work in a vacuum.
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- billybobLv 41 decade ago
no of corse not no oxygen means no spark with the primer and not exlopsion in the shell
