I’ve spent about 2 hours watching videos on YouTube to understand how bows work but I’m getting more videos that are pitched at comparisons between different modern bows or how to shoot videos.
What I don’t understand is how a compound bow or springed bow is able to make a small person shoot at higher power. In my physics mind, I understand that cams and springs provide leverage. But the force applied to build potential energy is the same direction as the arrow being fired, so how does the arrow have more power?
if I’m using a seesaw analogy, I’m charging potential energy with the end of the seesaw, when I jump off, the far end of the seesaw still has the same distance to the fulcrum
In: 4
The long bow’s draw force increases and is released linearly. The compound bow’s draw force is initially much higher, but subsequently increases much more slowly. The result is that the force needed to hold a compound bow drawn is far less than a long bow.
So for the same holding force, a compound bow delivers much more energy to the arrow.
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