  Our experiments and molecular dynamics simulations on a projectile
penetrating a two-dimensional granular medium reveal that the mean deceleration
of the projectile is constant and proportional to the impact velocity. Thus,
the time taken for a projectile to decelerate to a stop is independent of its
impact velocity. The simulations show that the probability distribution
function of forces on grains is time-independent during a projectile's
penetration of the medium. At all times the force distribution function
decreases exponentially for large forces.
