Ballistics
Ballistics is a science that studies the features and patterns of motion of bodies in space. Ballistics is based on physics and mathematics, Make use of the work of these areas for theoretical and practical studies. Basically ballistics works with movement of shells and bullets that were fired from firearms, as well as with ballistic rockets and shells.
Ballistics: line of research
Currently, there are several types of lines, each of which explores a specific area related to firearms, missiles and shells. There are the following types:
- Internal ballistics - examines how a bullet or a shell moves inside the gun itself, along the barrel.
- Intermediate ballistics - deals with the study of the passage of a bullet or a shell through the muzzle. It is necessary to improve the accuracy of shooting, and to create silencers, muzzle brakes, flame extinguishers.
- External ballistics - studies the features of the movement of a bullet or a shell in a vacuum or the atmosphere under the influence of external forces. Need to calculate wind correction and other factors.
- Terminal ballistics - studies how a bullet moves in an obstacle, on its final path. In this area, armor and protection are tested, and the ballistic resistance of materials in personal protective equipment is investigated. Such testing provides information not only for the development of protection, but also for the practical work of a forensic expert.
- Wound ballistics - studies how a bullet moves in the body of a person or animal. The study is carried out by forensic experts and surgeons.
The results of the study allow not only to improve weapons, but also means of protection against bullets and shells. The level of protection will depend on the type of weapon used. Thus, an armor plate placed in a bulletproof vest should protect a person from a bullet wound or minimize negative consequences.
A short history of ballistics
The first ballistics research can be considered carried out in 1537 by Nicolo Tartaglia. He studied the flight curve of a shell fired from a firearm. Galileo also made his contribution to the development of science: he developed a parabolic theory based on the laws of gravity. However, the scientist did not take into account air resistance.
In 1687, Newton proved that the flight curve of a shell cannot be parabolic. The allegation was made by him on the basis of the study of the laws of air resistance. In 1742, Benjamin Robins determined the initial velocity of the nucleus, and also created the ballistic pendulum, which is still used today.
A significant contribution to the development of ballistics as a science was made by Leonhard Euler and Lombard Gutton. From 1820, scientists began to investigate the effect of friction on the movement of a shell or a bullet.
Milestone in the development of ballistics was the widespread use of rifled firearms with oblong shaped shells. Not only physicists, but also artillerymen took up the study of ballistics issues. Experiments were carried out, including at factories where weapons were made.
In the period from 1881 to 1890, important results were obtained at the Krupp plant, which concerned the speed of movement of shells fired from guns of various calibers. Ballistic instruments were invented, and thanks to the efforts of various scientists, the beginning of internal ballistics as a direction of research was laid.
At the beginning of the 20th century, radical changes took place in the area of ballistics. In 1900, M. Kutt and K. Runge created a numerical method for integrating differential equations. He made it possible to solve equations using the values of the original data.
Also in the twentieth century, the science of aerodynamics began to develop. This made it possible to accurately describe all the factors that affect the released shell during its movement outside the muzzle. And the progress of computer technology has made it possible to shorten the process of calculations and obtaining results.
Ballistic trajectory
A ballistic trajectory is the direction along which a body moves with an initial velocity under the influence of gravity and aerodynamic air resistance.
If we do not take into account the resistance of air masses in the central gravity field, then such a trajectory is a second-order curve. It is a branch of a hyperbola, a circle, a parabola, a vertical line or an arc of an ellipse, one of the focuses of which will coincide with the gravitational center of the Earth.
Most ballistic rockets have a long range trajectory - more than 500 km. They move in the diluted atmosphere with practically no air resistance. Therefore, in this section, the shell has an elliptical trajectory.
If the ballistic trajectory passes through the dense layers of the atmosphere, then the movement of the body will depend on a number of factors: the shape and mass of the shell, the state of the atmosphere, the initial velocity, etc.
Based on the calculation of ballistic trajectories, specialists compile special ballistic tables that are used by artillerymen when working with multiple rocket launchers and cannons.
Ballistics analysis
Ballistics analysis is one of the types of forensic analysis. The purpose of this procedure is to provide information on technical issues that have arisen during the investigation of cases involving firearms. During the investigation, a correspondence is established between the fired bullet or empty cartridge case and the weapon from which it was fired. They also study the nature of the destruction and damage that was caused by the use of firearms.
The results of ballistics analysis allow us to establish the system, model and type of weapon from which the bullet was fired. Also determine the distance of the shot and other circumstances under which the weapon was used.
Posted by