Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) Practice Exam

Gravity significantly affects a bullet's trajectory by creating a downward curved path after the bullet is discharged. When a bullet is fired, it initially moves forward due to the force generated by the expanding gases from the gunpowder igniting. However, gravity immediately begins to act on the bullet, pulling it downward toward the earth. As the bullet travels through the air, it does not maintain a perfectly straight line; instead, it follows a curved path due to the constant pull of gravity. This means that even if aimed directly at a target, the shooter must account for this drop by aiming slightly above the target at longer distances. The effect of gravity becomes increasingly pronounced the farther the bullet travels, requiring a shooter to adjust their aim accordingly to compensate for the bullet's trajectory. In contrast, other options misrepresent the role of gravity: it does not cause the bullet to rise, it has a significant effect rather than none, and it does not stabilize the flight. Stabilization of the bullet's flight comes from factors like spin imparted by the rifling in the barrel and the bullet’s design, not from gravity.