中
Bow and Arrow
Bow and arrows have been around for thousands of years, and have found uses in hunting, warfare, and even in sports and recreation. Although the technology behind bows and arrows has advanced significantly over the centuries, the basic designs and principles behind them remain the same.
A basic bow consists of a curved piece of wood, called the stave, strung with a flexible material, usually an animal tendon or synthetic material, called the string. The string is tightened or slackened by drawing it farther away or closer to the stave, which then increases or decreases the force needed to draw the bow, allowing the shooter to adjust to the type of shot being taken. When the string is released, the bow fires an arrow (also known as a bolt, shaft, or quarrel) at a high velocity.
The arrow is made of a rigid, usually slender, shaft with a pointed tip, known as the head. It is connected to a fletching, usually made of feathers, at the back end of the arrow which holds it stable in flight. The arrow is laid against the string of the bow and drawn back, whereupon releasing the string, the bow launches it at high velocity.
The process of firing a bow and arrow takes practice; perfecting the technique of shooting and aiming accurately is an endeavor that must be experienced to be mastered. There is a great deal of skill and technique required when shooting a bow and arrow, and shooters must take into account such factors as wind direction, an appropriate draw length and the distance to the target when taking a shot.
With the development of modern firearms, bows and arrows have largely been supplanted as the preferred weapon of hunting and warfare. Today, bows and arrows are used primarily for sport and recreational activities, such as target shooting, archery, and bowhunting. Although bows are still manufactured using traditional materials, such as wood and animal tendons, modern bows are usually made from synthetic materials with many complex components, such as adjustable limbs, cams, draw weight, and draw length. Regardless of the materials used, the principles behind the bow and arrow remain the same.
