external ballistics

Also known as: exterior ballistics

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Last updated

June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

Exterior ballistics is the science that studies the factors influencing a projectile's behavior after it leaves the firing weapon. This includes initial velocity, gravity, and atmospheric conditions. It is also referred to as external ballistics.12

Projectile motion, a related concept, describes the path of an object launched into the air, acted upon only by Earth's gravity. Galileo observed that this path is a parabola, resulting from independent horizontal inertial motion and vertical free-fall motion. While simplified models often ignore air resistance, in reality, these factors significantly affect a projectile's trajectory.3

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ballistics
Internal and external ballistics, respectively, deal with the propulsion and the flight of projectiles. The transition between these two regimes is called intermediate ballistics. Terminal ballistics concerns the impact of projectiles; a separate category encompasses the wounding of personnel.
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Internal and external ballistics, respectively, deal with the propulsion and the flight of projectiles. The transition between these two regimes is called intermediate ballistics. Terminal ballistics concerns the impact of projectiles; a separate category encompasses the wounding of personnel.
Read More