Citation

Russell R, Clasper JC, Jenner B, Hodgetts TJ, Mahoney PF. BMJ 2014; 348: bmj.g1143.

Affiliation

Royal Centre for Defence Medicine Birmingham, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.g1143

PMID

24665141

Abstract

‘Ballistics’ is the study of thrown objects. Ballistic injury (from thrown or projected material) may be caused by a number of weapon systems including firearms and explosives.

The damage to tissues caused by projectiles depends on a number of factors.

The kinetic energy of the projectile (influences the amount of energy that the object has available to deliver to tissue). This is given by the equation KE = ½ × mass × velocity × velocity.

The size and shape of the projectile influence how the object behaves in contact with tissue and in turn how much kinetic energy is given up. For example, the energy given up by a bullet will vary if it strikes nose first, side first, ‘tumbles’ in tissue or breaks into pieces in the tissue.

The nature of the tissue (how ‘elastic’ a tissue is influences the amount of energy it can absorb before damage occurs).

Intervening structures between the tissue and the projectile (such as ballistic protection—‘body armour’).

Language: en