Final answer:
To calculate the bullet's flight time, use the projectile motion formula for the vertical component of its descent. The time for a bullet to drop 1.60 cm using gravity alone is approximately 0.057 seconds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question you've asked involves the principles of projectile motion, which is a topic within Physics. To find the bullet's flight time when it hits 1.60 cm below the aim point, we need to consider only the vertical descent because the horizontal aim is level. The only force acting on the bullet after it leaves the rifle is gravity, which causes it to fall below the aim point.
To calculate the vertical distance (Δy) traveled by the bullet using the formula Δy = 0.5 * g * t^2, where g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s^2). Since the descent is 1.60 cm, we convert it to meters: 1.60 cm = 0.016 m. The time (t) it takes for this descent can be solved by rearranging the formula: t = sqrt((2 * Δy) / g).
Plugging in the values: t = sqrt((2 * 0.016 m) / 9.81 m/s^2) gives t ≈ 0.057 s. Therefore, the bullet's flight time before hitting the target is approximately 0.057 seconds.