Physics of Firearms

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Recommended: the physics of rifles

Shooting is a popular activity and it is enjoyed by many people, so much so that it is also done at a competitive level. Although many people may have shot a firearm of some sort, few of those people actually realize how much physics is involved with the shot.

So what exactly is Ballistics? Ballistics is the science or study of the motion of projectiles and in the case of most firearms, these projectiles are the bullets. There are two things that affect the flight of a bullet once it has been shot out of the gun. These things are the drag of air on the bullet and the force of gravity acting upon the bullet.

The force of gravity acting upon the bullet is always in a constant direction, which is down, at a rate of 9.81m/s^2. However, the force of air drag on the bullet is not always in a constant direction. This is because the trajectory of the bullet changes, so the direction of air drag on the bullet also changes.

So what is it that determines the trajectory of the bullet once it has left the barrel? Aside from gravity, it is the weight, shape, and velocity of the bullet...

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