How to use the ballistic pendulum calculator
Find a bullet speed from how high a block swings after the bullet embeds in it. Enter bullet mass, block mass, rise height of block in the fields above; the bullet speed, bullet kinetic energy are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “bullet speed from swing height”, “ballistic pendulum”, “projectile speed measurement”, “calculate ballistic pendulum”, “find bullet speed”.
Formula
Variables
- m — Bullet mass (kg)
- M — Block mass (kg)
- h — Rise height of block (m)
Worked example
With bullet mass = 0.01 kg, block mass = 2 kg, rise height of block = 0.1 m, the calculator gives bullet speed ≈ 281.4955 m/s; bullet kinetic energy ≈ 396.1985 J.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ballistic pendulum calculator used for?
Find a bullet speed from how high a block swings after the bullet embeds in it. It helps with questions such as “bullet speed from swing height”, “ballistic pendulum”, “projectile speed measurement”.
What is the formula for the ballistic pendulum calculation?
Bullet speed (m/s) = (m+M) / m × √(2 × GRAV × h). Bullet kinetic energy (J) = 0.5 × m × [Bullet speed] × [Bullet speed]. Here m is bullet mass (kg), M is block mass (kg), h is rise height of block (m).
What inputs do I need for the ballistic pendulum calculator?
You need bullet mass in kg, block mass in kg, rise height of block in m. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the ballistic pendulum calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the ballistic pendulum result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.