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Projectile
A projectile is any object thrown into space (empty or not) by the exertion of a force.[1] Although any
object in motion through space (for example a thrown baseball) may be called a projectile, the term
more commonly refers to a ranged weapon.[2][3] Mathematical equations of motion are used to
analyze projectile trajectory. An object projected at an angle to the horizontal has both the vertical and
horizontal components of velocity. The vertical component of the velocity on the y-axis given as
Vy=USin(teta) while the horizontal component of the velocity Vx=UCos(teta). There are various terms
used in projectiles at specific angle teta 1. Time to reach maximum height. It is symbolized as (t),
which is the time taken for the projectile to reach the maximum height from the plane of projection.
Mathematically, it is give as t=USin(teta)/g Where g=acceleration due to gravity(app 10m/s²) U=
initial velocity (m/s) teta= angle made by the projectile with the horizontal axis.

2. Time of flight (T): this is the total time taken for the projectile to fall back to the same plane from
which it was projected. Mathematically it is given as T=2USin(teta)/g

3. Maximum Height (H): this is the maximum height attained by the projectile OR the maximum
displacement on the vertical axis(y-axis) covered by the projectile. It is given as H= U²Sin²(teta)/2g

4. Range(R): The Range of a projectile is the horizontal distance covered (on the x-axis) by the
projectile. Mathematically, R= U²Sin2(teta)/g. The Range is maximum when angle teta= 45° I.e
Sin2(teta)=1.

Contents
Motive force
Delivery projectiles
Sport projectiles
Kinetic projectiles
Wired projectiles
Typical projectile speeds
See also
Notes
References
External links

Motive force

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Blowguns and pneumatic rifles use compressed gases, while most

other guns and cannons utilize expanding gases liberated by
sudden chemical reactions. Light-gas guns use a combination of
these mechanisms.

Railguns utilize electromagnetic fields to provide a constant

acceleration along the entire length of the device, greatly
increasing the muzzle velocity.

Some projectiles provide propulsion during flight by means of a

rocket engine or jet engine. In military terminology, a rocket is
unguided, while a missile is guided. Note the two meanings of
"rocket" (weapon and engine): an ICBM is a guided missile with a
rocket engine.

An explosion, whether or not by a weapon, causes the debris to

act as multiple high velocity projectiles. An explosive weapon, or
device may also be designed to produce many high velocity Projectile and cartridge case for the
projectiles by the break-up of its casing, these are correctly massive World War II Schwerer
termed fragments. Gustav artillery piece. Most
projectile weapons use the
compression or expansion of gases
Delivery projectiles as their motive force.

Many projectiles, e.g. shells, may carry an explosive charge or

another chemical or biological substance. Aside from explosive payload, a projectile can be designed
to cause special damage, e.g. fire (see also early thermal weapons), or poisoning (see also arrow
poison).

Sport projectiles
In projectile motion the most important force applied to the
‘projectile’ is the propelling force, in this case the propelling
forces are the muscles that act upon the ball to make it move, and
the stronger the force applied, the more propelling force, which
means the projectile (the ball) will travel farther. See pitching,
bowling.

Kinetic projectiles Ball speeds of 105 miles per hour

(169 km/h) have been recorded in
A projectile that does not contain an explosive charge or any other
baseball.[4]
kind of payload is termed a kinetic projectile, kinetic energy
weapon, kinetic energy warhead, kinetic warhead, kinetic kill
vehicle or kinetic penetrator. Typical kinetic energy weapons are blunt projectiles such as rocks and
round shots, pointed ones such as arrows, and somewhat pointed ones such as bullets. Among
projectiles that do not contain explosives are those launched from railguns, coilguns, and mass
drivers, as well as kinetic energy penetrators. All of these weapons work by attaining a high muzzle
velocity, or initial velocity, generally up to (hypervelocity), and collide with their targets, converting

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their kinetic energy into destructive shock waves and heat. Other types of kinetic weapons are
accelerated over time by a rocket engine, or by gravity. In either case, it is the kinetic energy of the
projectile that destroys its target.

Some kinetic weapons for targeting objects in spaceflight are anti-satellite weapons and anti-ballistic
missiles. Since in order to reach an object in orbit it is necessary to attain an extremely high velocity,
their released kinetic energy alone is enough to destroy their target; explosives are not necessary. For
example: the energy of TNT is 4.6 MJ/kg, and the energy of a kinetic kill vehicle with a closing speed
of 10 km/s (22,000 mph) is 50 MJ/kg. This saves costly weight and there is no detonation to be
precisely timed. This method, however, requires direct contact with the target, which requires a more
accurate trajectory. Some hit-to-kill warheads are additionally equipped with an explosive directional
warhead to enhance the kill probability (e.g. Israeli Arrow missile or U.S. Patriot PAC-3).

With regard to anti-missile weapons, the Arrow missile and MIM-104 Patriot PAC-2 have explosives,
while the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI), Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP, used in
Aegis BMDS), and THAAD do not (see Missile Defense Agency).

A kinetic projectile can also be dropped from aircraft. This is applied by replacing the explosives of a
regular bomb with a non-explosive material (e.g. concrete), for a precision hit with less collateral
damage. A typical bomb has a mass of 900 kg (2,000 lb) and a speed of impact of 800 km/h
(500 mph). It is also applied for training the act of dropping a bomb with explosives. [1] (http://www.
fas.org/news/iraq/1999/10/991007-iraq.htm) This method has been used in Operation Iraqi
Freedom and the subsequent military operations in Iraq by mating concrete-filled training bombs
with JDAM GPS guidance kits, to attack vehicles and other relatively "soft" targets located too close to
civilian structures for the use of conventional high explosive bombs.

A Prompt Global Strike may use a kinetic weapon. A kinetic bombardment may involve a projectile
dropped from Earth orbit.

A hypothetical kinetic weapon that travels at a significant fraction of the speed of light, usually found
in science fiction, is termed a relativistic kill vehicle (RKV).

Wired projectiles
Some projectiles stay connected by a cable to the launch equipment after launching it:

for guidance: wire-guided missile (range up to 4,000 metres or 13,000 feet)

to administer an electric shock, as in the case of a Taser (range up to 10.6 metres or 35 feet); two
projectiles are shot simultaneously, each with a cable.
to make a connection with the target, either to tow it towards the launcher, as with a whaling
harpoon, or to draw the launcher to the target, as a grappling hook does.
Bolo round

Typical projectile speeds

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Speed Specific
kinetic
Projectile
energy
(m/s) (km/h) (ft/s) (mph) (J/kg)
Object falling 1 m (in vacuum, at
4.43 15.948 14.5 9.9 9.8
Earth's surface)
Object falling 10 m (in vacuum, at
14 50.4 46 31 98
Earth's surface)
Thrown club (expert thrower) 40 144 130 90 800
Object falling 100 m (in vacuum, at
45 162 150 100 980
Earth's surface)
Refined (flexible) atlatl dart (expert
45 162 150 100 1,000
thrower)
Ice hockey puck (slapshot,
50 180 165 110 1,300
professional player)
80-lb-draw pistol crossbow bolt 58 208.8 190 130 1,700
War arrow shot from a 150 lbs
63 228.2 208 141 2,000
medieval warbow
Blunt Impact Projectile shot from a
87 313.2 285 194.6 3,785
40mm grenade launcher
Paintball fired from marker 91 327.6 300 204 4,100
175-lb-draw crossbow bolt 97 349.2 320 217 4,700
6 mm Airsoft pellet 100 360 328 224 5,000
Air Rifle BB 4.5 mm 150 540 492 336 11,000
Air gun pellet .177" (magnum-power air
305 878.4 1,000 545 29,800
rifle)
9×19mm (bullet of a pistol) 340 1224 1,116 761 58,000
12.7×99 mm (bullet of a heavy
800 2,880 2,625 1,790 320,000
machine gun)
German Tiger I 88 mm (tank shell-
810 2,899 2,657 1,812 328,050
Pzgr. 39 APCBCHE)
5.56×45mm (standard round used in
920 3,312 3,018 2,058 470,000
many modern rifles)
20×102mm (standard US cannon
1039.38 3,741 3,410 2,325 540,000
round used in fighter cannons)
25×1400mm (APFSDS, tank
1,700 6,120 5,577 3,803 1,400,000
penetrator)
2 kg tungsten Slug (from Experimental
3,000 10,800 9,843 6,711 4,500,000
Railgun)
Up to Up to
MRBM reentry vehicle Up to 4,000 Up to 14,000 Up to 9,000
13,000 8,000,000
Up to Up to Up to
projectile of a light-gas gun Up to 7,000 Up to 25,000
23,000 16,000 24,000,000
Satellite in low earth orbit 8,000 29,000 26,000 19,000 32,000,000
Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle ~10,000 ~36,000 ~33,000 ~22,000 ~50,000,000

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Projectile (e.g., space debris) and 0–16,000 ~58,000 ~53,000 ~36,000 ~130,000,000
target both in low earth orbit

299,792,455 ~6.7 × 1020

7 TeV particle in LHC[5] [note 1] 1,079,252,839 983571079 670,616,536 [note 2]

See also
Atlatl
Ballistics
Gunpowder
Bullet
Impact depth
Kinetic bombardment
Shell (projectile)
Projectile point
Projectile use by animals
Arrow
Dart
Missile
Sling ammunition
Spear
Torpedo
Range of a projectile
Space debris
Trajectory of a projectile

Notes
1. Approximate equivalent of 99,9999991% c.
2. In relation to the rest mass of proton.

References
1. "Definition of PROJECTILE" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/projectile). Retrieved
13 April 2017.
2. "The free Dictionary" (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/projectile). Retrieved 2010-05-19.
3. "Dictionary.com" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/projectile). Retrieved 2010-05-19.
4. Pepin, Matt (2010-08-26). "Aroldis Chapman hits 105 mph" (http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/t
hebuzz/2010/08/aroldis_chapman.html). Boston.com. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2010
0831185316/http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/thebuzz/2010/08/aroldis_chapman.html) from
the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
5. "Facts and figures" (https://archive.is/bS6CI). European Organization for Nuclear Research.
CERN. 2008. Archived from the original (http://public-archive.web.cern.ch/public-archive/en/lhc/Fa
cts-en.html) on 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2018-07-02.

Heidi Knecht (29 June 2013). Projectile Technology (https://books.google.com/books?id=zS2SBg

AAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Semyonov+chahars&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjhNW8xInK
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AhWDRiYKHQJAC4YQ6AEIXTAI#v=onepage&q&f=false). Springer Science & Business Media.

ISBN 978-1-4899-1851-2.

External links
Open Source Physics computer model (http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/htmltag.php?code=u
sers.sgeducation.lookang.Projectile02_pkg.Projectile02Applet.class&name=Projectile02&muid=1
4019)
Projectile Motion Applet (http://www.physics-lab.net/applets/projectile-motion)
Another projectile Motion Applet (http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/109N/more_stuff/Applets/
ProjectileMotion/jarapplet.html)

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