Author: Gilove2dance

Title: Calculations

Prompt #35-Speed of rayne_shippers’ mini challenge table created by bugchicklv

Rating: G

Pairings: Rayne in all its godliness

Disclaimer: Joss is boss; I’m just a lowly minion.

Word count: 501

Author's notes: Grade 12 Physics has corrupted my brain. But I liked the idea of Jayne trying to understand something way beyond his knowledge just to make River happy.

~*~*~

“Whatcha doin’, Crazy?” Jayne walked into the cargo bay to find River by the wall, fixing a crate full of a dull grey clay to the ceiling.

“An experiment.” She tied off the knot and reached down to the ground for a roll of tape and chalk. She taped the chalk to the bottom of the crate so that it was touching the wall of the cargo bay.

“Whatcha experimentin’ on?” He looked at the crate was curiosity.

“I wish to find out the velocity of my gun.” River patted the new gun at her hip. It was her birthday gift from him, a shiny Sauer P220 pistol.

“What fer?”

“So that I can calculate the trajectory and range when we are jobs. The only way to do that is to have the knowledge of the velocity of the bullet which is different for every single gun. The only way to obtain this information is to perform an experiment.” Satisfied that the chalk was in position, River walked away from the crate, counting her paces, to where Jayne’s weight bench, a pad of paper and a pencil where. She scribbled something down.

“An’ a crate full of clay will do that?” Jayne sounded impressed. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder.

“With the correct measurements, yes. It will act as a ballistic pendulum. When I shoot the gun, the bullet will travel into the clay, causing the crate to swing back. The chalk will draw on arch, showing how high it went. With the difference of height, I can use the gravitation energy formula, which equals the kinetic energy formula of the crate just as the bullet hits it, to calculate the velocity of the crate