The Science of Projectiles: Arrows & Bullets

What occurs when an arrow is shot or a bullet is fired? If the answer were simple, then everyone would be an accurate shot! It is common for individuals participating in archery and shooting sports to use a sight on their instrument, to guide their aim. In order to understand accuracy better, it is necessary to learn some physics.

The graphs below (Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved), excerpted from the book series The Science of Archery & Shooting Sports from Schottenbauer Publishing, show examples of trajectories from the projectile motion of a foam bullet and a toy arrow.

Discussion Questions

1. Describe at least 2 similarities between the graphs.
2. Describe at least 2 differences between the graphs.
3. What travels higher, the arrow or the bullet? Is this a meaningful comparison?
4. What travels further, the arrow or the bullet? Is this a meaningful comparison?
5. What is the average velocity of the bullet in the horizontal direction?
6. What is the average velocity of the arrow in the horizontal direction?
7. What required more force, the trajectory of the arrow or the bullet?

Additional graphs similar to those above can be found in the following science lab manuals from Schottenbauer Publishing:


Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series

• The Science of Archery and Shooting Sports
• Volume 1: Archery 
• Volume 2: Shooting Sports 
• The Science of Balls
• Volumes 3, 6, 7, & 8: Projectile Motion

Anthologies of 28 Graphs

• The Science of Summer Olympic Sports 
• The Science of Winter Olympic Sports
• The Science of Ball Sports

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

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