[ELI5] why is dry firing a bow so bad for it? Does the arrow really make that much of a difference in that regard?
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Pull string from bow = Energy created (from arm)
Release string from bow = Energy released
W/ Arrow = Energy released to -> Arrow
No Arrow = Energy released to -> Bow
When you draw a bow you’re generating potential energy, when you loose (let it go) the bow, you are converting the energy into kinetic energy, this energy has to go somewhere, when firing an arrow, the kinetic energy will propel the arrow forward, when there is no arrow, the kinetic energy is absorbed by the bow. You basically have the power of an arrow hitting the bow, this is obviously not very good, and will damage the bow.
It’s simple physics: Energy transfer.
Pull a bow, fire an arrow, energy gets transferred to the arrow, very little to the bow(limbs).
Pull a bow, fire it empty, energy’s gotta go somewhere, bow’s the only viable path, thus most of the energy gets transferred to the bow(limbs). Do that often enough, it goes kaput.
Because the energy is usually dispersed via the arrow. Without an arrow the bow takes that energy and it damages it over time, for a compound bow it can crack the carbon fiber and ruin the string, the string will come off the pullies or cams, and get all tangled.
YouTube “dry firing bow” and you’ll see some awesome videos of bows exploding from being dry fired.
Th force will go into the “branches” of the bow instead of the arrow if u dry fire causing them to break
I did this once. The string released itself from the upper part of the bow and hit me in my left arm. The bruise on my left arm lasted more than a week.
I was told not to do it again EVER, and that I was lucky to only have a bruise, because someone once did the same and the sting took a part of the cornea of his right eye.
Imagine swinging a baseball bat as hard as you can, and then missing the ball. And then imagine doing the same and hitting the ball. It’s much more painful on your body when you miss as all the energy you exerted is not absorbed by anything and your body now has to deal with it in a way you weren’t prepared for.
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