# Ballistic impact

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ballistic_impact
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ballistic_impact.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_impact
> Source revision: 1322013820
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Ballistic impact** is an [impactful](/source/Impact_(mechanics)) [collision](/source/Collision) by a high-[velocity](/source/Velocity) [projectile](/source/Projectile) on another (usually much more [massive](/source/Mass)) object, such as a [bullet](/source/Bullet) or [arrow](/source/Arrow) hitting a [shooting target](/source/Shooting_target), a throw-up [gravel](/source/Gravel) from a [road](/source/Road) or [runway](/source/Runway) hitting a [windscreen](/source/Windscreen), a [boulder](/source/Boulder) hurled by a [trebuchet](/source/Trebuchet) hitting a [city wall](/source/City_wall), or a [shell](/source/Shell_(projectile))/[missile](/source/Missile) striking a [military vehicle](/source/Military_vehicle).[1] The location on the recipient object (target) where the collision has occurred is often called the **point of impact**, and the destructive effects exerted on the target by the collision is called the projectile's [terminal ballistics](/source/Terminal_ballistics).

The simulation of ballistic impacts can be achieved with a [light-gas gun](/source/Light-gas_gun) or other ballistic launcher. It is important to study the response of materials to ballistic impact loads.[1][2] Applications of this research include body [armor](/source/Armor), [armored vehicles](/source/Armored_vehicle) and [fortified](/source/Fortified) buildings, as well as the protection of essential equipment, such as the [jet engines](/source/Jet_engine) of an [airliner](/source/Airliner).

## References

1. WJ Cantwell & J Morton (1991). "The impact resistance of composite materials -- a review". *Composites*. **22** (5): 347–62. [doi:10.1016/0010-4361(91)90549-V](https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-4361(91)90549-V)

1. AR Boccaccini; S Atiq; DN Boccaccini; I Dlouhy; C Kaya (2005). "Fracture behaviour of mullite fibre reinforced-mullite matrix composites under quasi-static and ballistic impact loading". *Composites Science and Technology*. **65** (2): 325–333. [doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2004.08.002](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2004.08.002)

## See also

- [Impact (mechanics)](/source/Impact_(mechanics))
- [Shot grouping](/source/Shot_grouping)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ballistic impact](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_impact) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_impact?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.