Ballistics & Trajectories (Exam 4)

Question 1

Define ballistics.

Answer 1

Flight of the bullet

Question 2

External ballistics refers to…

Answer 2

Path of projectile moving through air

Question 3

Wound ballistics refers to…

Answer 3

Path of projectile moving through body

Question 4

Terminal ballistics refers to…

Answer 4

Projectile transferring energy to target

Question 5

What are 2 important components of trajectory?

Answer 5

1) Angle of impact
2) Direction of travel

Question 6

This is the direction from which the projectile came in relationship to the target surface.

Answer 6

Angle of impact

Question 7

Angle of impact is composed of the vertical and azimuth components. What do these 2 terms mean?

Answer 7

Vertical is up and down while azimuth is lateral

Question 8

Anchor points dictate that trajectories can only be measured if there are { } bullet holes.

Answer 8

2

Question 9

What tool is used in the most common way of determining trajectory?

Answer 9

Trajectory rod

Question 10

This tool is a string with a weight at the end and is used as a reference to the vertical plane.

Answer 10

Plumb line

Question 11

What is the critical angle?

Answer 11

Angle below a trajectory is too shallow to penetrate and is instead ricocheted

Question 12

What is the difference between perforation and penetration?

Answer 12

Perforation goes all the way through an object while penetrate only breaks the surface

Question 13

What is the pinch point?

Answer 13

Area where bullet first connects with surface but still has paint

Question 14

Describe radial fractures.

Answer 14

They radiate out from the bullet hole

Question 15

Describe concentric fractures.

Answer 15

They circle the bullet hole

Question 16

Which comes first? Radial or concentric?

Answer 16

Radial

Question 17

True or False: You cannot determine the size of the bullet based on the bullet hole.

Answer 17

True; some materials shrink down making this method unreliable