Final answer:
A bullet shot horizontally and an object dropped vertically from the same height will hit the ground at approximately the same time due to the consistent force of gravity acting on both.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is addressing the concept of projectile motion, specifically comparing the time it takes for a bullet shot horizontally to strike the ground versus an object dropped vertically from the same height. According to the laws of physics, specifically Newton's laws of motion and the force of gravity, both a horizontally shot bullet and an object dropped vertically will fall at the same rate due to gravity.
This is because the horizontal velocity of the bullet does not affect the rate at which it falls; gravity acts on both objects equally, so both will hit the ground at approximately the same time, assuming no significant air resistance. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is C: strikes the ground at approximately the same time as one dropped vertically from the same point at the same instant.