This high-speed video of a bullet fired into a water balloon shows how dramatically drag forces can affect an object. In general, drag is proportional to fluid density times an Keep reading
Tag: projectiles
Underwater Gunfire
When a projectile is fired from a gun or other firearm, it is propelled by the expansion of high-temperature, high-pressure gases resulting from the combustion of a propellant, like gunpowder, Keep reading
London 2012: Archery Physics
Archery is one of the oldest Olympic sports, but the physics involved are remarkably complex. Even looking only at the flight of the arrow, the problem is hardly simple. The Keep reading
Seeing Shock Waves
In this still image from a video of a 2008 demonstration of a U.S. Navy railgun, the shock waves in front of the projectile are momentarily visible. When travelling faster than the Keep reading
Tank Shock Waves
High-speed video of a tank firing at 18000 fps shows shock waves made visible due to light distortion. When the air density changes (due to temperature or compression), it’s index Keep reading