What is Ballistic: Definition and 138 Discussions

A ballistic missile follows a ballistic trajectory to deliver one or more warheads on a predetermined target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the Earth's atmosphere, while intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are launched on a sub-orbital trajectory.
These weapons are in a distinct category from cruise missiles, which are aerodynamically guided in powered flight.

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  1. W

    Prove this equation for projectile motion

    I tried using the formulas x=xi+vit and y=yi+voyt-1/2g(t^2) I assumed voy would be 0 and I almost arrive to the answer but idk how to get rid of the negative
  2. dom_quixote

    I Atomic Clock Exp on Ballistic Flight: Proving Clocks are Accelerometers

    In the past, scientists have experimented with atomic clocks aboard airplanes in order to prove the Special Theory of Relativity. In our humble opinion, ALL watches are accelerometers. Effect observed in a chaotic pendulum in free fall: Too bad they didn't do the same experiment with an...
  3. J

    Orbital mechanics: is ballistic capture possible without acceleration?

    All spacecraft that have been put into orbit around other planets have required engines to decelerate them and inject them into their orbits. So-called "ballistic capture", from what I've read, always seems to call for at least a minimum application of force to change the trajectory; I get...
  4. Z

    Comp Sci Solving the ballistic trajectory equation for Launch Angle

    In a process of writing a game. Effectively need to know how to angle the barrel for the projectile to hit the selected target. So for the equation y = h + x * tan(α) - g * x² / 2 * V₀² * cos²(α) Everything except α is known. Could anyone more wise in the ways of science than me help me solve...
  5. P

    Help with drag coefficient calculated from ballistic coefficient

    I want to make a video game about snipers and I would like it to have proper bullet physics, not something very accurate, but with "credible" bullet physics. So I need to implement a simple trajectory solver. I thought of taking into account just the gravity and turbulent air drag. The...
  6. F

    Current through Ballistic 2DEG Channel

    So I am a bit uncertain what approach is best for solving this problem and how exactly I should approach it, but my strategy right now is: 1. Solve the time-independent Schrödinger Equation with the given Hamiltonian and find energy eigenvalues of system: -Here I struggle a bit with actually...
  7. T

    Why Does Second Collision in Ballistic Pendulum Lead to Initial State?

    I was thinking about ballistic pendulums and the symmetry they exhibit. In the simplest case, you have one ball that begins at a certain height and collides with another ball at rest. You can calculate via conservation of momentum and energy the new velocities and max vertical displacements...
  8. J

    Calculating a Ballistic Coefficient (BC) from two velocities

    I have been attempting to calculate a Ballistic Coefficient (BC) from two velocities of a known distance using the formula: BC = (AirDensity * Distance) / ( SQRT(Velocity0) - SQRT(Velocity1)) for example AirDensity = 0.0751265 lb/ft³ Distance = 100 yards Velocity0 = 3000 fps Velocity1 = 2772...
  9. riveay

    Simulating Jules Verne Earth to the Moon trip?

    Has anybody attempted simulating the trip to the moon described by Jules Verne? I've done a bit of research and found this two posts: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/showing-deadly-acceleration.909104/#post-5726115...
  10. nsaspook

    False Emergency Alert of Incoming Ballistic Missile Attack

    12:00 There's lots to blame here but I am dumbfounded at the bad computer Human Interface Design. What I have heard at this news conference is that basically a screen comes up with Test or Alert buttons, the guy clicks Alert instead of Test. The program then says, Are you sure you want to do...
  11. T

    Questions involving ballistic missiles

    With high tensions involving North Korea, I wonder 1 - Why can't they in principle just pick up some kind of brake on the missile in order to slow it down so that it doesn't break apart during its re-entry? 2 - They usually claim to have developed a miniaturized nuclear bomb. Wouldn't this...
  12. B

    I need an advice help with a "Ballistic" problem/task

    Hi All, I am trying to solve the following "puzzle", but I feel like there is information I am missing. Not information in the problem, but a method to solve or something else. I need your advice or help. 1. Homework Statement Put a material point with mass 45.93 on the N 42° 38.554 E 023°...
  13. S

    My ballistic trajectory on the Moon looks wrong

    Hi all, I'm writing a science fiction story and I have managed to confuse myself. I have a rail line that accelerates a train in Tycho crater and tosses a heavy payload of ore to Descartes, about 1200 km, where it's supposed to land on another ramp... or something. I've used Google Earth to...
  14. G

    Ballistic Lenz's Law: Magnet Induced Current in Copper Tube

    If a magnet was going fast enough as it approached/entered a copper tube, could the current induced in the tube via Lenz's Law be high enough to melt or even vaporize the tube?
  15. BoeingJet

    Could a ballistic missile be used to deliver cargo?

    Are firing ballistic rockets to the other side of the planet carrying plenty of cargo economical? If so, would it even be plausible. Please contribute.
  16. A

    Question about suborbital flight and ballistic missiles

    Question on suborbital flight and ballistic missiles. When they are in space, past 100 km above the surface of Earth where there is little air, when it's in the ballistic arc, past apogee does it slow down when it drops or speeds up due to gravitational acceleration without drag? I Am talking...
  17. U

    Muzzle Velocity by Analyzing Ballistic Pendulum

    Homework Statement Finding the equation for the muzzle velocity by using conservation of energy. 2. The attempt at a solution Ek+Eg=Ek2+Eg2 Well I'm 100% sure the kinetic energy of the ball is transferred into the catcher. The displacement is 1.9cm which is 0.019m. Mb=0.0077Kg (mass of ball)...
  18. K

    I How to understand diffusive and ballistic transport?

    Hi there, I am always confusing in the difference between diffusive and ballistic transport. My understanding on the diffusive transport is from it's name, particles diffuse from the high density region into the low density region. I think the diffusion happens towards all direction, is it why...
  19. R

    Kite trampoline / bungee launching a payload

    I've been experimenting with aggregate stability of kite networks. ... Kite like to fly in networks. And I've written this about it.. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0qQxFlXu7t-RGpqRk1ZYXNISkU For the upcoming Airborne Wind Energy book. Today though... I want to know what thickness of bungee...
  20. JunkfoodZombie

    Need a little help, please -- Calibrating ballistic gelatin

    Pardon my ignorance, guys, but I have what should be a relatively simple question for physics buffs. I haven't studied any real physics since HS... Here is the situation: I am performing some .45acp ammunition ballistic tests using a gelatin block. In order for my tests to be valid...
  21. Quadrat

    Conservation of linear/angular momentum in a ballistic pendulum

    I did a problem a coule of weeks ago with a vertical rod, frictionless hanging around the upper end, length L and mass m. Then a bullet with the same mass, m speed v is fired horizontally at the lowest point of the rod and becomes embedded in the rod. So I calculated the maximum angle it would...
  22. N

    How a Ballistic Pendulum works.

    Hello there. Recently I was tasked to design a lab experiment using a ballistic pendulum. Now I understand that all the sources of the internet say that by principle of conservation of linear momentum, (1/2)(m+M)V2 = (m+M)gh , or V2 = 2gh And then using principle of conservation of energy, we...
  23. N

    Difference between Superconductivity & Ballistic Conduction

    I read in a book "Optoelectronic Integration: Physics, Technology and Applications" edited by Osamu Wada. Ballistic Conduction and Superconductivity are both electron transport that are not affected by the collisions and scatterings. Ballistic conduction or Ballistic transport occurs when the...
  24. N

    Ballistic conduction and Superconductivity

    Ballistic conduction occurs when the length of the conductor is smaller than the mean free path of the electron. Ballistic conduction differs from superconductivity due to the absence of the Meissner effect in the material. A ballistic conductor would stop conducting if the driving force is...
  25. PratyashAstro

    How Do You Measure Absolute Capacitance with a Ballistic Galvanometer?

    My question is : What is the absolute capacitance?In my electricity lab, I was assigned to prepare a report on measuring absolute capacitance of a capacitor using ballistic galvanometer. I am familiar to the term self capacitance but not the absolute one. My mentor asked me to find it out by...
  26. terryds

    A Curious question About Ballistic Pendulum Solution

    I've watched a video about ballistic pendulum problems. The illustration is : I wonder why the final energy is just a gravity potential energy. I think there is also a rotational kinetic energy (since it will rotate and oscillate) Is my thought wrong?
  27. B

    Ballistic Spring System Problem

    Homework Statement A 10.1 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 44.1 g wooden block that is initially at rest on a rough horizontal surface and connected to a massless spring of constant 97.8 N/m. If the bullet-block system compresses the spring by 0.441 m, what was the speed of the bullet just...
  28. F

    Ballistic Coefficients vs Drag Coefficients

    So, I'm currently writing a mathematical analysis of a bullet with a muzzle velocity of 790 m/s. I have found that the standard equation for drag force... Fd = 1/2 * ρ * v2 * Cd * A does not work because the drag coefficient for a bullet (.295) does not account for supersonic speeds. What I...
  29. L

    Conservation of Energy Problem -- bullet fired into a ballistic pendulum

    Homework Statement A bullet has a mass of 7.5 g. It is fired into a ballistic pendulum. The pendulum's receiving block of wood is 2.5 kg. After the collision, the pendulum swings to a height of 0.1 m. What is the approximate velocity of the bullet? m_{bullet} = 7.5g = 0.0075 kg m_{wood} = 2.5...
  30. G

    Ballistic trajectory of a projectile (ballistic loophole)

    I am trying to find the formula for the so called "ballistic loophole" which is a technique where one will cut a small hole in a wall or structure (no bigger than 3 inches wide or tall) and shoot through it at a target without placing himself to close to the wall. I know I need the height...
  31. M

    Calculating Velocity of Mass in Ballistic Gel

    Homework Statement A bullet of mass = 0.015 kg is shot into a ballistics gel at 1200 m/s. The resistive force acting against the bullet is given by F = k v^2 where k is a constant = 0.08 kg/m. Find the velocity of the mass 0.0006 seconds after being fired into the gel. (250 m/s. )Homework...
  32. F

    Ballistic bullet pendulum conservation of momentum problem

    Homework Statement A 15 g bullet is fired into a 2.55 kg block that is hanging by a 2.0 m long string. The speed of the bullet is 425 m/s. Calculate the angle when the system reaches its maximum height?Homework Equations m1v1=(m1+m2)vf (1/2)mv^2=mghThe Attempt at a Solution (0.015 kg)(425...
  33. F

    Could Ballistic Space Probes Revolutionize Space Exploration?

    Hi. I am writing a scifi story that involves some (i hope) realistic science. The conceit is to show, in the near future, some use of cheap "ballistic" probes of the inner system and eventually TNS and heliopause. They would be small objects launched in large numbers, designed to gather very...
  34. N

    How Does Trigonometry Determine the Height in a Ballistic Pendulum?

    Homework Statement Using trigonometry and Fig. 2 in the ballistic pendulum write-up, show that the height h the pendulum rises after capturing the ball is given by: h=R(1-cosθ) Figure two is here: http://imgur.com/W9nvVZT Homework Equations h=R(1-cosθ) The Attempt at a Solution...
  35. G

    How to use ballistic coefficient (SI units)?

    Reading in Russian sources I see they use ballistic coefficients such as these: BC = 3.0 kg/m^2 or alternatively BC = 3.0 m^2/kg That's quite different than the usual G1, G7, etc. Given a certain muzzle velocity, how do I use that to calculate velocity at some point downrange?
  36. M

    Ballistic Pendulum initial velocity of bullet

    Homework Statement A ballistic pendulum is used to measure the speed of a bullet fired from a gun. The pendulum consists of a 20.0g block hanging from a string. A bullet, with mass 0.50gg, imbeds itself in the block causing the block to swing up to a height of 5.00cm. Find the speed of the...
  37. F

    SIN contest: ballistic missile

    Homework Statement The problem and solution involving the ballistic missile question is in the attached picture. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Why does the first expression have (24)(6) in the denominator, when the second expression has (24)(6)(2) ? My thought...
  38. mesa

    Ballistic pendulum question

    This is a ballistic pendulum promlem, here is the scenerio that is outlined in my physics book: We have a wooden block of mass 1.20kg hanging from a massless rope 1.5m in length. A bullet of mass .01kg is fired at the block. The collision is inelastic but thermal losses from impact are...
  39. A

    LAB: Ballistic Pendulum + Conservation of Momentum

    I'm doing the prelab questions which require conceptual questions, not so much of math. The experiment is a typical ballistic pendulum lab - you'd shoot a paintball twoard a pendulum bob, and you measure the height the pendulum bob reaches after collision to calculate the related velocities...
  40. N

    A website which shows the ballistic designs concerning railgun ammunition?

    I'm really curious as to what problems would be fundamental to solve when trying to make an efficient projectile fit for speeds produced by a electromagnetic railgun. Firing something that fast into the atmosphere has to be problematic and I'm sure the solution to making the most accurate and...
  41. S

    Ballistic problem: reachable region

    Where did this equation come from? (attached) I can only think of the equation for d found at the end of the section in this wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_of_a_projectile#Flat_ground Thanks!
  42. marellasunny

    Bullet impact force,velocity predicted by ballistic gelatin

    Aim: To understand the physics(equations) behind this problem. On the channel 'Discovery Science',a the show-presenter was testing guns.In one of the tests,he fires the gun at a certain distance from a 'BALLISTIC GELATIN'(just a jelly of high viscosity to simulate swine muscle tissue). The he...
  43. C

    Muzzle velocity given test range, time of flight and ballistic properties.

    This isn't really homework, but I figure this is the most appropriate place to post this... Please do say if you think there is a more likely place it will get answered - I'm new! Homework Statement I am trying to calculate the muzzle velocity of an air rifle. I can find the time of flight...
  44. Y

    Ballistic pendulum physics problem

    Homework Statement A ballistic pendulum is a common device that is designed to measure the speed of small projectiles. As shown in the sketch on the right, it is composed of an initially stationary metal "cage" which traps the projectile and is suspended vertically by a very light weight rod...
  45. J

    Ballistic pendulum, finding final height

    Homework Statement The Attempt at a Solution I used conservation of momentum for the initial velocity of mass 2, and conservation of mechanical energy for the movement from rest to highest position, KE=PE. The answer that I received is selected in the screenshot. However, when the...
  46. L

    Determining Velocity of Ball Fired Horizontally from Ballistic Pendulum

    I am trying to determine the velocity of a ball fired horizontally from ballistic pendulum. The data is as follows: ball mass: 62.2 g spring mass: 14.7 g rod mass: 89.3 g length of spring: 126.1 mm initial spring length: 5 cm compressed spring length: 1 cm k: 2.05 N/m calculated from...
  47. P

    Revisiting Ballistic Motion in the Presence of Air Resistance and Fluid Dynamics

    I'm thinking about the ballistic projectile again When you start out in first year phyz the first thing they teach is the ballistic projectile without air resistance Maybe at some time later they might go to a simple linear resistance term. Now I want to throw spin and oscillation into the...
  48. K

    Measuring Impact Velocity with a Ballistic Pendulum Prototype

    some device or contraption to measure point impact velocity - ballistic pendulum ? i hope you guys and gals can point me in the right direction for a prototype i am working on. I am looking for a device that measures impact velocity. much like a ballistic pendulum only much sturdier than the...
  49. QuarkCharmer

    Ballistic Pendulum results.

    Homework Statement I was just wondering if someone would be kind enough to look over these solutions and tell me if I am correct. The lab was a simple ballistic pendulum, which I am sure every physics student performs. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution 1.)...
  50. QuarkCharmer

    Ballistic Pendulum kinetic energy

    Homework Statement A 11.0 g rifle bullet is fired with a speed of 360 m/s into a ballistic pendulum with mass 9.00 kg, suspended from a cord 70.0 cm long. A.) Compute the initial kinetic energy of the bullet B.) Compute the kinetic energy of the bullet and pendulum immediately after the...
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