ballistic pendulum

American  

noun

Physics.

1. a device consisting of a large mass hung from a horizontal bar by two rods, used to measure the velocity of an object, as a bullet, by retaining the object upon impact, its velocity being a function of the displacement of the mass.

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Etymology

Origin of ballistic pendulum

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

This cannon is a duplicate of the one used for the ballistic pendulum, details of which have already been given.

From Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXX, Dec. 1910 Federal Investigations of Mine Accidents, Structural Materials and Fuels. Paper No. 1171 by Wilson, Herbert M.

The experiments were made in the usual manner by firing bullets into a ballistic pendulum, and recording the swing of the pendulum.

From Heroes of Science: Physicists by Garnett, William

A modification of the ballistic pendulum was also employed by W.E.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 3 "Chitral" to "Cincinnati" by Various

In sharp contrast here the principle of conservation of momentum may be brought in by ballistic pendulum experiments involving elastic and inelastic impacts.

From College Teaching Studies in Methods of Teaching in the College by Klapper, Paul

Samples of all explosives used in the testing gallery, ballistic pendulum, pressure gauge, and other testing apparatus, are here subjected to chemical analysis in order to determine the component materials and their exact percentages.

From Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXX, Dec. 1910 Federal Investigations of Mine Accidents, Structural Materials and Fuels. Paper No. 1171 by Wilson, Herbert M.