The Physics of Archery (1)

Objectives
To Understand the Basic Physical Principles of Archery
Through Identifying:
• Energy Transfers
• Energy Storage
• Trajectories
 Bow Anatomy

Riser/Handle

Limbs
Grip

String
 Energy Transfer
Procedure
1. Hold up bow and put arrow
on string
2. Place fingers on string and
pull string back
3. Anchor string and hand
under the chin
4. Take aim
5. Release the string
6. Arrow hits target
(hopefully!!!)

TASK 1: Identify the stages in this energy transfer. Draw a

Sankey diagram to show this.
Energy Transfer (solution)
Procedure Main Energy transfer
1. Hold up bow and put arrow Chemical in arm to kinetic in
on string arm, string & limbs
2. Place fingers on string and Kinetic in arm & string to elastic
pull string back potential in limbs
3. Anchor string and hand Elastic potential in limbs to
under the chin kinetic in string, limbs and
arrow
4. Take aim
Kinetic in arrow and sound in
5. Release the string
limbs
6. Arrow hits target
Kinetic in arrow to heat and
(hopefully!!!)
sound in target
Energy Transfer (solution)
Sankey Diagram Showing Losses

Kinetic in string; sound in

limbs and string; heat in limbs

Elastic potential
Kinetic in arm, in limbs Heat and sound in
Chemical in arm
string, & limbs target
Kinetic in arrow

Heat and sound of arrow

in flight

Sound in limbs; heat in

arms; heat in limbs & string
 Energy Storage
Draw
Graph to show draw force against draw length
force
(N)
165
Work Done = Force (constant)
X Displacement in
direction of force
Work Done = area under the line

Draw
0 70 length
(cm)

Task 2: Calculate the energy stored in 165N bow drawn to 70cm

 Energy Storage
Graph to show force against distance

Work Done = Force X Displacement

Force in direction of force
(N)
400
Consider an action that consists of
two parts
• pushing a 20 kg block along for 20
200 cm
• pushing 2 20kg blocks along for
15 cm
Distance Area of rectangle = height X length
0 20 35 (cm)
Add the shaded boxes together!

Task 2: Calculate the energy stored in 165N bow drawn to 70cm

 Energy Storage (solution)
Draw
Graph to show draw force against draw length
force
(N)
165
Force = 165 N
Distance = 70cm

Work Done = ½ 165 * 0.7

Draw Work Done = 57.75 J
0 70 length
(cm)
 Arrow Energy
Shaft Nock

Fletchings

Point

Kinetic energy = ½ mass X velocity2

Task 3: Calculate the velocity of the arrow (mass 25g), assuming

efficiency of energy transfer of limbs to arrow 0.70
 Arrow Energy (solution)
Shaft Nock

Fletchings

Point

Mass = 25g Kinetic energy = 0.70 X work donebow

Work done = 57.75J Kinetic energy = ½ mass X velocity2
Efficiency = 0.7 Therefore velocity = √(2 X kinetic energy/mass)
Velocity = √(2 X 40.425 / 0.025) = √ 3234 = 56.87 ms-1
 Trajectories
Parabolic shape of arrow flight
Can consider the vertical and horizontal components of
the flight separately. Think SOH CAH TOA!!!
height
vh = v cos θ vv = v sin θ
v = u + at v2 = u2 + 2as
t
v=d/t
distance

height
t

θ
distance

Task 4: Split the components of the arrow velocity up and calculate the max
range and the max height at that range . Assume air resistance is negligible.
 Trajectories (solution)
Split the component into vertical & horizontal:
v = 56.87 ms-1 for maximum range, θ = 45O
vh = v cos θ = 56.87 sin 45O = 40.21 ms-1
vv = v sin θ = 56.87 cos 45O = 40.21 ms-1

Taking vertical component first up to highest point:

u = 40.21 ms-1 a = g = -9.81 ms-2

v2 = u2 + 2as
0 = 40.212 – 2 X 9.81 X s
height Therefore s = 40.212 / (2 X 9.81)
Maximum height = 82.4m

θ
distance
 Trajectories (solution)
v = u + atup
0 = 40.21 - 9.81 X tup
Therefore tup = 40.21 / 9.81 = 4.10 s
Therefore tflight = 8.20 s

Taking the horizontal component:

velocity = 40.21 ms-1 time = 8.20 s
velocity = distance / time
Therefore distance = velocity X time
Max range = 40.21 X 8.20 = 329.7 m

height

θ
distance
Can humans dodge arrows?
The human target would need to move outside of the area as shown

Assume the archer is very accurate.

Fastest human travels at 10ms-1

3m
Time for the human to realise the arrow is
incoming = 1 second
0.5 m
Human response time 0.25 seconds
Target

Task 5: What is the minimum distance the

Top view target needs to be before they can
successfully dodge an arrow?
Can humans dodge arrows?
Time taken for human target to dodge:
d2 = 32 + 0.52
d = 3.04 m
tmove = 3.04 / 10 = 0.304 s
tdodge = trealise + treact + tmove = 1 + 0.25 + 0.304 = 1.554 s

So we calculate the distance at which tflight = 1.554s

tup = tflight / 2 = 0.777 s
v = u + atup
u = v – atup = 0 + (9.81 X 0.777) = 7.62 ms-1 = vv
vv = v sin θ v = 56.87 ms-1
sin θ = vv / v = 7.62 / 56.87 = 0.13 therefore θ = 7.7 0

vh = v cos θ = 56.87 cos 7.7 = 56.36 ms-1

vh = d / tflight
s = vh X tflight = 56.36 X 1.554 = 87.58 m

So the human target would need to be at least 87.58 m away from the archer
in order to dodge the arrow.
 Safety Information
Before taking part in archery you need to understand certain safety
rules!!!
• Do not put the arrow on the string until you are standing on the
shooting line
• Do not distract anyone who is shooting
• Once on the string, only ever point the arrows in the direction of the
targets
• If you are not shooting stay well behind the shooting line
• If you see any possible hazard or danger (e.g. someone is walking
behind the targets) then shout the word “FAST”. If you hear the word
“FAST”, then do not shoot any arrows under any circumstances.
• One whistle means shooting can start, two whistles means that you
can collect your arrows from the target
• Don’t draw and then release the bow without an arrow on it (this is
called a “dry fire”) as this can damage the bows
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE COACH AT ALL TIMES
The Physics of Archery (2)

Photos from the Archery Have A Go Here!!!

 Objectives
To Reinforce our Understanding of the Basic Principles of
Archery by:
• Looking at a real life application at the Battle of Agincourt
• Creating a poster and presenting on an area of what has
been learnt
 Different Types of Bow

Longbow Crossbow Recurve Compound

 The Battle of Agincourt 1415
Country: England France
# of Men: 6000 men 20,000-30,000 men
# of Archers: 5000 archers 8000 archers
Style of Bow: Using longbows Using crossbows
Mass an Arrow: 50g 75g
Poundage: 150lbs @ 28” 300lbs @ 16”
Release rate: 12 arrows/min/archer 4 arrows/min/archer
Efficiency: 0.70 0.60
Convert the units from imperial to metric
Calculate the energy stored in each type of bow
Calculate the speed of the arrow on release
Calculate the maximum range
Remember to note down any assumptions you have made
Conversion Rates & Useful Formulae
1 lb = 0.45 kg
1 inch (“) = 0.025 m

Area of triangle = ½(base X height)

v = u + at s = ½ (v + u)t
k.e. = ½ mv2 v=d/t
English Longbow Range
Energy stored in bow:
Conversion: 150lb = 9.81 X 0.45 X 150 = 662.2 N
28” = 0.7m
Work done = ½ (662.2 X 0.7) = 231.8J

Velocity of arrow on release:

k.e. = ½ m v2
v2 = k.e. / ½ m = 0.7 X 231 / ½ 0.05 = 6489.3
v = 80.6 ms-1

Splitting the vertical and horizontal components:

vv = v sin θ vh = v cos θ
vv = 80.6 sin 450 = 57 ms-1 vh = 80.6 cos 450 = 57ms-1
English Longbow Range
Time taken to reach highest point:
v = u + atup
tup = (v – u) / a = 57 / 9.81 = 5.81 s
tflight = 11.62 s

Maximum range of longbow:

vh = d / tflight
d = vh X tflight = 57 X 11.62 = 662.4m
French Crossbow Range
Energy stored in bow:
Conversion: 300lb = 9.81 X 0.45 X 300 = 1324.35 N
16” = 0.4m
Work done = ½ (1324.35 X 0.4) = 264.9J

Velocity of arrow on release:

k.e. = ½ m v2
v2 = k.e. / ½ m = 0.6 X 264.9 / ½ 0.075 = 4237.9
v = 65.1 ms-1

Splitting the vertical and horizontal components:

vv = v sin θ vh = v cos θ
vv = 65.1 sin 450 = 46 ms-1 vh = 65.1 cos 450 = 46ms-1
French Crossbow Range
Time taken to reach highest point:
v = u + atup
tup = (v – u) / a = 46 / 9.81 = 4.69 s
tflight = 9.38 s

Maximum range of crossbow:

vh = d / tflight
d = vh X tflight = 46 X 9.38 = 431.5 m
Why did the English Win?
Terrain Timing
Sited in a narrowing valley Hours waiting
Muddy rainy conditions Frequency of arrows

Position Class/Tradition/Organisation
English archers on flanks French archers pushed backwards by
nobility
French multiple lines, archers behind
front line French disorganised

Equipment Protection
Longer range Armour
Greater frequency Pikes in ground
Why did the English Win?
 Poster & Presentation
Design a Poster. Presentations to be given at Friday’s lesson.

Split into groups – each responsible for one area.

Poster options: Physical A1 poster. PowerPoint poster. Web page

poster.

1. Intro page
2. Equipment Anatomy & How to Shoot
3. Energy Transfers in Archery
4. Trajectories
5. The Battle of Agincourt