Calibrated optical rail distance between Circuit Wire A and Wire B.
Projectile mass influencing kinetic energy and pendulum impulse transfer.
Muzzle energy velocity multiplier. Standard 80% charge targets 300 m/s.
Aerodynamic ballistic drag model causing deceleration across flight path.
Calculated via break-wire time interval Δt.
Velocity drop over Δd due to air resistance.
Conservation of momentum impact deflection (M_pendulum = 1.5 kg).
EXPERIMENTAL TRIAL TELEMETRY LOG
MIT Bullet Speed Formula: v = Δd / Δt| Trial # | Mass (g) | Distance (m) | Δt (µs) | Velocity (m/s) | Drag Loss (%) | Pendulum θ (°) |
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PHYSICS PRINCIPLE: MIT TWO-WIRE CHRONOGRAPH
In classic MIT physics demonstrations, bullet velocity is measured without electronic radar by passing a projectile through two fine copper wire loops separated by a precise distance $\Delta d$. Breaking Wire A breaks an electrical circuit to start an microsecond timer counter. Breaking Wire B breaks a second circuit to stop the timer ($\Delta t$). The average flight velocity between the sensors is determined directly by $v = \frac{\Delta d}{\Delta t}$.