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A projectile is any object sent through the air by the application of some force.In a general sense, even a football or baseball may be considered a projectile, but in practical action most projectiles are designed as weapons.
1 Motive force
Arrows, darts, spears, and similar weapons are fired using pure mechanical force applied by another solid object; conversely, other weapons use the compression or expansion of gases as their motive force.
Blowguns and pneumatic rifles use compressed gases, while most other guns and firearms utilize expanding gases liberated by sudden chemical reactions.
2 Blunt or sharp
Although blowguns use small darts, most types of guns and firearms hurl bullets, pellets, or shot made of a metal, usually lead, that are designed to deform and fragment inside a target, causing significant damage. Items like arrows, hand darts, and spears are generally tipped with sharp metallic or lithic artifacts called projectile points that allow them to more easily penetrate a target, although some types of arrows used for hunting are designed to stun or kill through shock rather than to penetrate.
Projectiles designed to be non-lethal, for example for use against riotNewark, New Jersey Riots occur when crowds of people have gathered and are committing crimes or acts of violence. Dispersing violent crowds is usually a task for the police, although widespread rioting may require military support. Unstable countries typis, include rubber bulletRubber bullets are rubber-coated projectiles fired from guns. They are usually non-lethal, unless fired at short range, but heavy enough to pierce skin. Rubber and wooden bullets are often used in riot control and to disperse protests. The British use thes and flexible baton roundThe flexible baton round is the trademarked name for a type of non-lethal kinetic projectile; it is more widely known as a beanbag round. It is typically fired from a shotgun, and is used by civil and military forces, mainly in the United States. The shots.
3 Explosive charge or kinetic
Projectiles may or may not contain an explosive charge. ShellA shell is a projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, is not only shot by explosives, but also contains explosives itself. These objects of weaponry are generally large rounds fired by artillery, armored fighting vehicles (including tanks), and warshipss do, bullets do not. Without it the hit may be like a collisionPhysical collision Dynamics In physics, collision means the action of bodies striking or coming together ( touching). Collisions involve forces (there is a change in velocity). Collisions can be elastic, meaning they conserve energy and momentum, inelasti.
Projectiles for targeting objects in spaceflight are anti-satellite weaponAnti-satellite weapons (ASATs) are weapons designed to be used against artificial satellites. The development and design of anti-satellite weapons has followed a number of paths. The initial efforts by the USSR and the USA were using air-launched missiless and anti-ballistic missileAn anti-ballistic missile (ABM) is a missile designed to counter intercontinental ballistic missiles: the strategic ballistic missiles used to deliver nuclear weapons or their elements in flight trajectory. ABMs may also be used against chemical or biologs. Since they need to have a large speed anyway, they can destroy without explosives; compare the energy value for TNT, 4.6 MJ/kg, with the energy of a kinetic kill vehicle with a closing speed of e.g. 10 km/s, which is 50 MJ/kg.
This saves costly weight and there is no detonation to be done at the right time, but on the other hand it requires a more accurate hit. The Arrow missile and MIM-104 Patriot have explosives, but of the KEI, LEAP, and THAAD being developed, none has (see Missile Defense Agency).
