# Terminal Velocity ( Archery Related) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminal-velocity-archery-related/828492 "2019-01-27T19:06:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminal-velocity-archery-related/828492/61 "2019-01-29T23:08:30Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > Even looking at the disciplines using wooden arrows and natural fletchings, poundage makes a huge difference. Here’s the American longbow records: > > 35 lbs (15.88 kg) > Larry Hatfield > 311.10 > 50 lbs (22.7 kg) > Larry Hatfield > 382.60 > > To be honest, I really can’t see any way that increasing the launch velocity to as fast as possible would ever be counter productive when you’re trying to get range, short of the arrow bursting into flame due to air friction (which seems rather unlikely) or you ripping off a fletching and screwing up the flight characteristics of the arrow (quite a lot more likely) You can’t scale the arrows down as much as can somethings. I very light arrow with very high launch speeds may not get any serious distance unless it is very dense very stiff material which I haven’t found yet. Very often the launch speeds from a 100% # will not be that much higher than the 50# bow. It is the heavier denser arrow that is carrying it a lot of that distance. Similar bows of different weights will usually shoot a specific number of grains or arrow weight to pounds of draw weight about the same. In the wood arrow classes about 4 or 5 grains per pound is pretty typical. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminal-velocity-archery-related/828492/62 "2019-01-31T08:47:42Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > You can’t scale the arrows down as much as can somethings. I very light arrow with very high launch speeds may not get any serious distance unless it is very dense very stiff material which I haven’t found yet. Very often the launch speeds from a 100% # will not be that much higher than the 50# bow. It is the heavier denser arrow that is carrying it a lot of that distance. Similar bows of different weights will usually shoot a specific number of grains or arrow weight to pounds of draw weight about the same. In the wood arrow classes about 4 or 5 grains per pound is pretty typical. I’m finding it a little difficult to parse some of the above. Could you please elaborate. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminal-velocity-archery-related/828492/63 "2019-01-31T14:00:30Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > I’m finding it a little difficult to parse some of the above. Could you please elaborate. Suppose I am a 50# bow and I am shooting a 200 grain arrow. The guy shooting a 100# bow might be shooting a 400 grain arrow. We would both be shooting 4 grains of arrow weight per pound of draw weight and both of us would have similar launch speeds. It is a bit easier for the 100# shooter to get the stiffness he needs and still use a relatively small diameter arrow. At 200 grains I am fighting the stiffness ( spine) issue. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminal-velocity-archery-related/828492/64 "2019-01-31T17:58:48Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > One of our archer competitors in flight shooting recently made the statement that shooting an arrow much past it’s terminal velocity speed is counter productive. > > … > > Could I drop an arrow 100 ft and get a good idea as to what it’s terminal velocity might be based on a short drop? Regardless of whether you shoot the arrow above or below it’s terminal velocity: The faster you shoot it, the sooner it’s going to arrive at the destination. Terminal velocity on any object is the speed at which the force of the air resistance (e.g. drag) is equivalent to the object’s weight. Terminal velocity is only meaningful when the object is going straight down. If the object is going downward faster than terminal velocity, then the drag (upward) force will be more than the downward force of gravity. If the object is going down slower than terminal velocity, then the force of gravity will be more than the upward force of drag. If you shoot an arrow downward from a cliff at terminal velocity, it’s speed will remain constant all the way to the bottom of the cliff (ignoring the change in air pressure for really tall cliffs). If you shoot an arrow horizontally at terminal velocity, the arrow will start slowing down immediately because gravity will not be a factor in the speed until it starts to drop. As the angle approaches vertical, the speed will increase up to terminal velocity. As for dropping an arrow from 100 feet, you’re gonna have to have a pretty accurate stop watch. Can you time the fall to within 1/100th second? You’re going to have to know where you are because gravity at the poles is about 0.5% greater than at the equator. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminal-velocity-archery-related/828492/65 "2019-01-31T19:44:40Z")
> [@bizerta](#): > > Regardless of whether you shoot the arrow above or below it’s terminal velocity: The faster you shoot it, the sooner it’s going to arrive at the destination. > > Terminal velocity on any object is the speed at which the force of the air resistance (e.g. drag) is equivalent to the object’s weight. Terminal velocity is only meaningful when the object is going straight down. If the object is going downward faster than terminal velocity, then the drag (upward) force will be more than the downward force of gravity. If the object is going down slower than terminal velocity, then the force of gravity will be more than the upward force of drag. > > If you shoot an arrow downward from a cliff at terminal velocity, it’s speed will remain constant all the way to the bottom of the cliff (ignoring the change in air pressure for really tall cliffs). If you shoot an arrow horizontally at terminal velocity, the arrow will start slowing down immediately because gravity will not be a factor in the speed until it starts to drop. As the angle approaches vertical, the speed will increase up to terminal velocity. > > As for dropping an arrow from 100 feet, you’re gonna have to have a pretty accurate stop watch. Can you time the fall to within 1/100th second? You’re going to have to know where you are because gravity at the poles is about 0.5% greater than at the equator. Well we all know that it will slow down, but I think the idea is to opt for a lower velocity heavier arrow that has a higher terminal velocity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminal-velocity-archery-related/828492.md?page=3)