Physics in Archery
by: Amanda Lasky and Disha Chanana
Archery
Newton's 1st Law
When the arrow is loaded in the bow, it is not going to go anywhere unless you release it and spring force sends it forward. After it springs forward it will go forever until forces like air resistance, gravity, and normal force when it hits the target.
Newton's 2nd Law
The bigger the arrow the larger the force and harder it hits the target and farther it goes.
Newton's 3rd Law
When the arrow is pulled back that is the action, the reaction is the arrow springing forward from spring force.
Force
Reaction
Inertia
Air Resistance
Air resistance is a part of archery that people try to avoid. This is the reason the arrow is so thin, to try to avoid air resistance. With such a thin arrow it can slice through the air easier.
Momentum
There is a debate over whether kinetic energy is more important in archery than momentum. Both of them depend on the weight of the arrow. The heavier the arrow, the energy exerted by the human to pull the bow back, which sends it a further distance.
Sources
- "Kinetic Energy, Momentum and Arrows: A Simplified Approach." Kinetic Energy, Momentum and Arrows: A Simplified Approach. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
- "How Newton's Laws Apply to Archery." Prezi.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
- "Archery - Fast Shooting (Murmansk)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.