I’m reading an explanation of why composite bows were so much more powerful than the wooden bows before them because the animal horn and sinew “stored far more energy.”
I think this is that lesson in physics that I never fully understood and only passed because I memorized basic terms.
In: Physics
The material properties we are looking for here are how elastic yet stiff something is. Somethings are very stiff; when they are bent, they bounce back quickly and with a lot of force. Other things bounce back slowly and softly.
Think of rubber bands. Stretching one thin rubber band out 6 inches takes very little effort, when you release, that small amount of energy is released. When you stretch a thick rubber band 6 inches, it is harder to stretch, and it releases all that extra energy when released.
When you shoot yourself in the eye with said rubber bands, you’ll understand how the different rubber bands transfer that stored energy.
Latest Answers