ballistics
American Heritage Dictionary:
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bal·lis·tics
(bə-lĭs'tĭks) 
n. (used with a sing. verb)
Of, relating to, or engaging in the study of ballistics: a ballistics lab; ballistics experts.
ballistician bal'lis·ti'cian (băl'ĭ-stĭsh'ən) n.
n. (used with a sing. verb)
- The study of the dynamics of projectiles.
- The study of the flight characteristics of projectiles.
- The study of the functioning of firearms.
- The study of the firing, flight, and effects of ammunition.
Of, relating to, or engaging in the study of ballistics: a ballistics lab; ballistics experts.
ballistician bal'lis·ti'cian (băl'ĭ-stĭsh'ən) n.
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:
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ballistics
Science of propulsion, flight, and impact of projectiles. Internal ballistics deals with propulsion of projectiles, such as within the barrel of a gun or at a rocket launch. Guns and rocket engines convert chemical energy of propellants into kinetic energy of projectiles. External ballistics deals with projectile flight. The trajectory, or path, of a projectile is subject to the forces of gravity ( gravitation), drag, and lift. Terminal ballistics deals with the impact of projectiles on a target. Wound ballistics deals with the mechanisms and medical implications of trauma caused by bullets and explosively driven fragments, such as shrapnel.
For more information on ballistics, visit Britannica.com.
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That branch of applied physics which deals with the motion of projectiles and the conditions governing that motion. Commonly called the science of shooting, it is, for practical purposes, subdivided into exterior and interior ballistics. Exterior ballistics begins at the instant the projectile leaves the muzzle of the gun barrel; interior ballistics, logically, deals with the events preceding this instant, that is, the events inside the gun barrel.
Oxford Dictionary of the US Military:
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ballistics
n. 1. the science of projectiles and firearms.
2. the study of the effects of being fired on a bullet, cartridge, or gun.
See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.
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The study of the flight path of projectiles.
Columbia Encyclopedia:
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ballistics
ballistics (bəlĭs'tĭks), science of projectiles. Interior ballistics deals with the propulsion and the motion of a projectile within a gun or firing device. Its problems include the ignition and burning of the propellant powder, the pressure produced by the expanding gases, the movement of the projectile through the bore, and the designing of the barrel to resist resulting stresses and strains. Exterior ballistics is concerned with the motion of a projectile while in flight and includes the study not only of the flight path of bullets but also of bombs, rockets, and missiles. All projectiles traveling through the air are affected by wind, air resistance, and the force of gravity. These forces induce a curved path known as a trajectory. The trajectory varies with the weight and shape of the projectile, with its initial velocity, and with the angle at which it is fired. The general shape of a trajectory is that of a parabola. The total distance traveled by a projectile is known as its range. A ballistic missile in the first stage of its flight is powered and guided by rocket engines. After the engines burn out, the warhead travels in a fixed arc as does an artillery shell. In criminology the term ballistics is applied to the identification of the weapon from which a bullet was fired. Microscopic imperfections in a gun barrel make characteristic scratches and grooves on bullets fired through it, but use causes the marks a particular gun makes to change over time.
Bibliography
See E. D. Lowry, Interior Ballistics (1968); R. C. Labile, Ballistic Materials and Penetration Mechanics (1980); A. J. Pejsa, Modern Practical Ballistics (1989); M. Denny, Their Arrows Will Darken the Sun: The Evolution and Science of Ballistics (2011).
US Defense Department Military Dictionary:
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ballistics
(DOD, NATO) The science or art that deals with the motion, behavior, appearance, or modification of missiles or other vehicles acted upon by propellants, wind, gravity, temperature, or any other modifying substance, condition, or force.
AMG AllGame Guide:
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Ballistics
- Platform: IBM PC Compatible
- Release Date: November 27, 2001
- Genre: Racing
- Style: Futuristic Racing
- Similar Games: Pod (IBM PC Compatible), Star Wars: Episode I: Racer (IBM PC Compatible), Beam Breakers (IBM PC Compatible)
Game Description
In a future starved for intense, exciting entertainment, Ballistics racers pilot super-fast vehicles through specially-designed magnetic tracks for fun and profit. While magnetically held to the track, the high-speed hovercraft can rotate a full 360 degrees for better handling. Advanced racers have the option of disengaging the magnetic hold, allowing them to maneuver for hard-to-reach power-ups. The game features seven racing tracks. Vehicles can be customized and upgraded with over 40 different parts. Up to eight players can compete across a LAN in Ballistics's multiplayer mode.~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide
Production Credits
Company 1: Grin; Producer: Ulf "Doughy" Andersson, Michael "Thehalo8" Bellhorn; Lead Programmer: Mattias "Marv" Flodin; Programmer: Tobias "Bizze" Barendt, Jocim "Fisk" Jacobsson, Mathiew "Zygrom" Gosset, Marcus "Maze" Westerlund, Rikard Wigforss; Additional Programming: Klas Adolfsson; Lead Animator: Robet "Poser" Petterson; Lead 3-D Artist: Mattias "Matte" Hogvall; 3-D Artist: Anders "Cyc" Bodbacka, Peter "Glazer" Edmark, Johan "Thypyroo" Hellqvist, Martin "Gaspode" Waern; Lead 2-D Artist: Alexander "Krossgrus" Linden; Music and Sound: Simon "Maestro" Wilkund; Company 2: Xicat Interactive; Executive Producer: Reto Bodmer; Graphic Designer: John "The Rock" Linn, Louis Porter Jr., Jason Burger; Quality Assurance: Don Zabriskie, Michael "Thehalo8" Bellhorn, John "The Rock" Linn, David Halpern, Leonard Kohs; Sales and Marketing: Steve Brown, Ken Whalen, Brad Flack; Legal: Jaimee B. Wolf, David Halpern
~ Doug Rose, All Game Guide
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'ballistics'
- Firearm Parts, Accessories, and Processes - ballistics: science and study of projectile motion; study and development of missile weapons
- Police Procedures and Detection - ballistics: study of firearms and bullets, used in detection and identification of weapons used in crimes
Translations:
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Ballistics
Dansk (Danish)
n. - ballistik
adj. - ballistisk
Nederlands (Dutch)
ballistiek, ballistische kenmerken
Français (French)
n. - balistique
adj. - balistique
Deutsch (German)
n. - Ballistik, Schieß-/Wurflehre
adj. - (Milit.) ballistisch
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - βαλλιστική, βλητική
Italiano (Italian)
la balistica
Português (Portuguese)
n. - balística (f)
Español (Spanish)
n. - balística
adj. - relacionado a o perteneciente a la balística
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - ballistik
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
弹道学, 发射学, 弹道学的, 发射学的
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. pl. - 彈道學, 發射學
n. - 彈道學, 發射學
adj. - 彈道學的, 發射學的
한국어 (Korean)
n. pl. - 탄도학
n. - 탄도학
adj. - 탄도학의
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) علم حركه المقذوفات او القذائف
עברית (Hebrew)
n. pl. - מדע כלי-הנשק והטילים, באליסטיקה
n. - מדע כלי-הנשק והטילים, באליסטיקה
adj. - באליסטי
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
McGraw-Hill Science & Technology Encyclopedia
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Oxford Dictionary of the US Military
The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine
The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved.
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Columbia Encyclopedia
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.
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US Defense Department Military Dictionary
US Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Words, 2003.
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AMG AllGame Guide
Copyright © 2012 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Game Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Random House Word Menu
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