Bow and Arrows

A bow is a ranged weapon that projects arrows. The arrows are powered by the energy stored in the limbs of the bow. The energy is transferred from the limbs of the bow to the arrow when the string that holds the arrow is released. The bow is an ancient weapon that was used in various cultures all over the world. The bow was used as a weapon of war, for hunting and in contemporary times, for competition.

The technique of shooting a bow is called archery. A person that makes bows is called a bowyer and a person who makes arrows is called a fletcher. The bow is made of elastic limbs that are connected by a string. The limbs were typically made of wood. The string of the bow, historically were often made from animal products including intestines, hair or sinew. Sometimes plant fibers were used such as hemp or linen. While pulling the string of the bow, an archer exerts a force on the inner section of the limbs by placing the outer section under tension. The force that is needed to hold the string in place when pulled is used to define the power of a bow. The force is called a draw weight. The higher the draw weight the more powerful the bow is and this translates to higher ability to project heavier arrows and to reach longer distances. The archer usually determines the maximum draw weight of the bow as it depends on the strength of the archer.

The bows came in various shapes and sizes that offered different characteristics of the bow. Large bows could be used by archers on the ground and smaller bows were preferred by archers on horseback.