Tracer bullets

[FRUITbat]

Does any body know how tracer bullets work?

[lisaj]

I thought they were phosphor tipped, and since bullets are quite hot when being fired, it glowed white hot...

[sddsddean]

I believe that the base of the bullet (the actual slug) is hollowed out and filled with a phosphor based chemical, rather than being phosphor tipped. As the bullet goes away from you, you see the back of it.