Schottenbauer Publishing

Sunday, April 5, 2015

The Balance Point of an Arrow

What is the balance point of an arrow, and why does it matter? The data below (Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved), excerpted from the book series The Science of Archery & Shooting Sports: Volume 1 from Schottenbauer Publishing, describe the balance point of a toy arrow.



Discussion Questions
  1. How does the arrow sit on the bow? Draw a sketch of the arrow in the bow, in the following positions:
    1. Bowstring loose
    2. Bowstring drawn to maximum
  2. How large is the arrow, proportional to the bow? Describe the following proportions. Are there any other proportions which might be relevant to understanding the bow and arrow? 
    1. Arrow length divided by bow width
    2. Arrow length divided by bow height
    3. Arrow mass divided by bow mass
  3. What is the balance point of the arrow? How does the balance point affect the trajectory of the arrow?
  4. What would occur if the arrow were weighted towards either end?

Graphs and data on archery can be found in the following science lab manuals from Schottenbauer Publishing:


Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series

Anthologies of 28 Graphs


Additional Information