Distance

[athomas]

Originally posted by Lohman446
I have always wondered if ball weight makes a difference - I am told it does not but it just nags at me that it should.

Two balls fired at the same velocity will travel the same distance regardless of weight as long as they are the same size and shape.

A gun that is set up to fire the lighter ball at a set velocity uses less energy than a similar gun set up to fire the heavier ball. Therefore, if the gun that is set up for the light ball shoots the heavy ball, it will not have the muzzel velocity to travel the same distance.

Also, a smaller ball of a certain weight will travel farther than a larger ball of the same weight. The larger ball has more air resistance causing it to decrease velocity at a greater rate.

[manike]

In real life...

Originally posted by athomas
Two balls fired at the same velocity will travel the same distance regardless of weight as long as they are the same size and shape.

I think you made a mistake there. If they are fired at the same velocity the heavier ball will go further because it's decelleration due to air resistance is less. And because as you point out below it would have to be carrying more energy to be travelling at the same velocity in the first place.

Originally posted by athomas
A gun that is set up to fire the lighter ball at a set velocity uses less energy than a similar gun set up to fire the heavier ball. Therefore, if the gun that is set up for the light ball shoots the heavy ball, it will not have the muzzel velocity to travel the same distance.

Also, a smaller ball of a certain weight will travel farther than a larger ball of the same weight. The larger ball has more air resistance causing it to decrease velocity at a greater rate.

All very true.

[PyRo]

Originally posted by LaW


Also keep in mind that for the Z-body to do anything it must be using a large bore barrel with small bore paint or else its pretty much worthless.

Which means its going to be a pig on gas and not shoot straight.

[PyRo]

The little kits with the cockers shoot further than everyone else because they turn up there velocity to 400fps thinking its cool.

[athomas]

Re: In real life...

Originally posted by manike


I think you made a mistake there. If they are fired at the same velocity the heavier ball will go further because it's decelleration due to air resistance is less. And because as you point out below it would have to be carrying more energy to be travelling at the same velocity in the first place.

I toiled with this and then thought of the fact that two objects of the same size and shape will accelerate at the same rate regardless of weight.


Then I thought about it again after you pointed out the flaw in my reasoning. Since the frictional forces are the same for both the heavy and the light balls, then the forces would have a greater affect on the lighter ball since there is less mass to move/change. I now stand totally corrected.

[manike]

Re: Re: In real life...

Originally posted by athomas
I toiled with this and then thought of the fact that two objects of the same size and shape will accelerate at the same rate regardless of weight.


Then I thought about it again after you pointed out the flaw in my reasoning. Since the frictional forces are the same for both the heavy and the light balls, then the forces would have a greater affect on the lighter ball since there is less mass to move/change.

Great posts, reasoning and information.