Science of propulsion, flight, and impact of projectiles.
Internal ballistics deals with propulsion of projectiles, such as within the barrel of a gun or at a rocket launch. Guns and rocket engines convert chemical energy of propellants into kinetic energy of projectiles. External ballistics deals with projectile flight. The trajectory, or path, of a projectile is subject to the forces of gravity (see gravitation ), drag , and lift . Terminal ballistics deals with the impact of projectiles on a target. Wound ballistics deals with the mechanisms and medical implications of trauma caused by bullets and explosively driven fragments, such as shrapnel.