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Physics of lighting projectiles on fire.

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zacen299 For SCIENCE! from You know exactly where. Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
For SCIENCE!
#1: Mar 31st 2012 at 1:33:30 PM

What is want to discuss is how exactly you would go about lighting various projectiles on fire. The only one I don't want to know is arrows, mainly because I already know how that happens. Also, I want to know what lighting the projectile on fire would do to things like accuracy and distance fired.

edited 31st Mar '12 3:24:44 PM by BestOf

Creepers: They're like raptors except they explode.
BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#2: Mar 31st 2012 at 3:25:42 PM

Before opening the thread, I edited the OP a bit for clarity.

Having clarified the OP, there's one question that's just bugging me: why? Why would you wanna know that?

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#3: Mar 31st 2012 at 3:29:53 PM

Yeah telling us why you want to know would be nice before we give any detailed answers.

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Teemo from Nottingham, UK (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: In another castle
Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#5: Mar 31st 2012 at 4:08:41 PM

...What kind of projectile? You eliminated arrows, but that leaves bullets, artillery shells, missiles, buckshot, throwing knives, ninja stars, rocks,molotov cocktails, boulders, spit balls, asteroids, paper air planes, pumpkins, and basically anything you can fit in a catapult.

I'm baaaaaaack
MarkVonLewis Since: Jun, 2010
#6: Mar 31st 2012 at 4:17:56 PM

And arguably roasting a marshmallow until it catches fire and winging it off into the woods counts as a projectile.

edited 31st Mar '12 4:18:03 PM by MarkVonLewis

zacen299 For SCIENCE! from You know exactly where. Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
For SCIENCE!
#7: Mar 31st 2012 at 4:55:46 PM

I'll be totally honest the reason is just morbid curiosity and all projectiles listed and anything else you can think of and yeah that edit on my post was needed.

Creepers: They're like raptors except they explode.
zacen299 For SCIENCE! from You know exactly where. Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
For SCIENCE!
#8: Mar 31st 2012 at 4:59:30 PM

and yes marshmallows count as projectiles.

Creepers: They're like raptors except they explode.
Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#9: Mar 31st 2012 at 5:48:51 PM

Well, one thing I found out as a child is that lighting a paper airplane on fire does NOT, in fact, act as a rocket booster and make it go faster.

In general, many things are significantly more lethal when lit on fire.

For example, normal pillow fight is not big deal, breaking a vase or picture frame at the worst.

FLAMING pillow fight however...

edited 31st Mar '12 5:49:01 PM by Joesolo

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Balmung Since: Oct, 2011
#10: Mar 31st 2012 at 6:04:54 PM

Well, for bullets, you need some amount of phosphorous, magnesium, or other pyrotechnic compund (the amount varies between tracers and full incendiary rounds) at the base, which ignites (presumably from the hear of the gases in the barrel).

For throwing knives? Skewer something that's burning (like a marshmallow), then throw the knife.

edited 31st Mar '12 6:05:52 PM by Balmung

Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#11: Mar 31st 2012 at 6:23:17 PM

throwing knife with a burning marshmallow on the end?

MAKE IT HAPPEN!

edited 31st Mar '12 6:23:26 PM by Joesolo

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BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#12: Mar 31st 2012 at 6:25:54 PM

Would anyone mind if I were to sent this thread to Yack Fest? Somehow I feel it would be more appropriate there.

If you wanna keep it here, though, I don't have a problem with that. I just imagine that this thread would be livelier and possibly go in more directions if it were in YF.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Hydronix I'm an Irene! from TV Tropes Since: Apr, 2010
I'm an Irene!
#13: Mar 31st 2012 at 6:40:17 PM

Sounds good Fast Eddie Best Of.

Quest 64 thread
zacen299 For SCIENCE! from You know exactly where. Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
For SCIENCE!
#14: Mar 31st 2012 at 8:59:02 PM

Yeah that would probably be for the best

Creepers: They're like raptors except they explode.
BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#15: Mar 31st 2012 at 9:11:32 PM

Moving it...

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Grimview Catalytic from British Columbia Since: Mar, 2012
Catalytic
#16: Mar 31st 2012 at 9:25:17 PM

... The fire won't really have an effect on most projectiles until it hits things. Tracer rounds fly like normal rounds; they're just visible. Burning arrows fly like normal arrows, they're just on fire. If you light the load in a catapult on fire, it still flies in the same normal arc; it's just, ya know, on fire.

And then, unsurprisingly, its main effect upon impact will be setting whatever it hit on fire.

Having something on fire doesn't really affect the physics involved in the projectile's flight path. It just means it can spread fire when it hits something.

"Lock up your girlfriends, lock up your wives, Grim's on the loose so run for your lives." - Pyrite
breadloaf Since: Oct, 2010
#17: Mar 31st 2012 at 9:38:29 PM

Well it could have an effect if lighting it on fire means adding an oily rag on it.

Pyrite Until further notice from Right. Beneath. You. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Hiding
Until further notice
#18: Mar 31st 2012 at 9:39:32 PM

[up][up]Unless the process by which you ignite the projectile alters its aerodynamic capabilities, but I suppose that would've been fairly obvious.

[up]EDIT: Ninja'ed.

edited 31st Mar '12 9:39:57 PM by Pyrite

Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
Grimview Catalytic from British Columbia Since: Mar, 2012
Catalytic
#19: Mar 31st 2012 at 9:42:26 PM

I was assuming that was implied, yes. tongue

"Lock up your girlfriends, lock up your wives, Grim's on the loose so run for your lives." - Pyrite
zacen299 For SCIENCE! from You know exactly where. Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
For SCIENCE!
#20: Apr 1st 2012 at 12:32:38 AM

Remember also that I want to also know how would you go about lighting said things on fire and have them still be feasible to use and also list any weapon you can think of and any ideas you might have.

Creepers: They're like raptors except they explode.
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