ballistics
Study of projectiles
Ballistics is the science of projectiles in motion—bullets, missiles, artillery shells.
It covers internal ballistics (what happens inside the barrel), external ballistics (flight through air), and terminal ballistics (impact effects).
The term often appears in crime investigations: Ballistics matched the bullet to his gun.
Ballistic as an adjective describes projectile motion, but to go ballistic means to explode in anger.
Weapon projectiles and charges
- firearmsWeapons using explosive propulsion
- caliberBore diameter or quality
- barrelHooped cylindrical vessel
- riflingBarrel's helical grooves
cartridge · bullet · muzzle · chamber · bore · gunpowder · primer · casing
Path of moving object
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- dragResistance through fluid
parabola · deceleration · drop · windage · range · recoil · penetration · deflection
ammunition
Weapon projectiles and charges
- firearmsWeapons using explosive propulsion
- caliberBore diameter or quality
- barrelHooped cylindrical vessel
rifling · cartridge · bullet · muzzle · chamber · bore · gunpowder · primer · casing · projectile
trajectory
Path of moving object
drag · parabola · deceleration · drop · windage · range · recoil · penetration · deflection · ricochet
striations
Parallel linear markings
- physics simulationfluid dynamics, rigid body, collision detection, ragdoll physics, momentum
- case evidencecase files, case notes, police reports, fingerprints, DNA samples
- marksmanshipmarksmanship, dry firing, accuracy, aim, target practice
- crime investigationdetective, whodunit, investigation, detectives, investigator
- Criminal Investigationdetective, crime scene, crime investigation, forensics, investigator
- criminal investigationsinvestigations, crime scene, crime scenes, crime scene investigation, crime scene analysis
- go ballisticLose temper violently
- going ballisticBecoming extremely angry suddenly
- goes ballisticLoses control explosively
- ballistic missilesSelf-propelled guided munitions
- ballistic vestsGarments deflecting ammunition
- ballistic trajectoryCurve of unpowered projectile