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Bullet Energy Formula:
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Bullet energy calculation determines the kinetic energy of a projectile in foot-pounds. This measurement is crucial for understanding the stopping power and effectiveness of ammunition for various applications including hunting, target shooting, and ballistic analysis.
The calculator uses the bullet energy formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates kinetic energy by taking the product of mass and velocity squared, then dividing by the conversion factor to obtain energy in foot-pounds.
Details: Calculating bullet energy is essential for understanding ammunition performance, ensuring ethical hunting practices with sufficient stopping power, comparing different cartridges, and complying with certain hunting regulations that specify minimum energy requirements.
Tips: Enter the bullet mass in grains and velocity in feet per second. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the energy in foot-pounds.
Q1: Why is bullet energy measured in foot-pounds?
A: Foot-pounds is a traditional unit of energy in ballistics that represents the amount of work required to move one pound a distance of one foot.
Q2: What is a typical bullet energy range for hunting?
A: Hunting requirements vary by game: small game may require 200-500 ft-lbs, medium game 1000-2000 ft-lbs, and large game may require 2000+ ft-lbs of energy.
Q3: How does bullet energy relate to stopping power?
A: While energy is one factor in stopping power, bullet design, shot placement, and penetration are equally important for effectiveness.
Q4: Can I use this calculator for arrows or other projectiles?
A: This formula is specifically designed for firearms projectiles. Arrows and other projectiles may require different calculations.
Q5: Why is the conversion factor 450240?
A: This factor converts grains and ft/s to ft-lbs: 2 × 32.174 × 7000 (grains per pound) = 450,436, which is commonly rounded to 450240 in ballistic calculations.