Velocity of a bullet in a barrell exhausted of air
Date
27 July 1687
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p21
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 376mm
width (page): 234mm
width (page): 234mm
Subject
Description
A diagram to calculate the velocity of a bullet by Denis Papin. The paper was submitted to the meeting of the Royal Society on 27 July 1687.
Papin states that previously he had given a computation of the swiftness of a bullet driven by the whole pressure of the atmosphere without explaining the calculation - he now wishes to rectify this.
He presents the problem thus: 'The length and Bore of a Barrell being given, and the weight of a Bullet fitted to it; to find out, what velocity must be acquired by the sayd Bullet being driven through the sayd Barrill by the whole pressure of the Atmosphere'.
This is copied from RBO/7/017. Another version can be found at CL.P/18i/60/002.
Papin states that previously he had given a computation of the swiftness of a bullet driven by the whole pressure of the atmosphere without explaining the calculation - he now wishes to rectify this.
He presents the problem thus: 'The length and Bore of a Barrell being given, and the weight of a Bullet fitted to it; to find out, what velocity must be acquired by the sayd Bullet being driven through the sayd Barrill by the whole pressure of the Atmosphere'.
This is copied from RBO/7/017. Another version can be found at CL.P/18i/60/002.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 27 July 1687, ‘A paper of Dr. Papin was delivered in concerning the computation of the velocity impressed on a bullet in an exhausted barrel: but it being late, it was referred till the next meeting’ (Birch 4:549).
At the meeting on 26 October 1687, 'A paper of Dr. Papin was read concerning a way of applying the force of gun-powder to raise weights, and to other mechanical uses; of which he shewed the experiment' (Birch 4:550).
See also: 9 November 1687, ‘Dr. Papin gave in a paper about the quantity of air evacuated by the flash of gun-powder in his experiment tried on the 26th of October; which paper was read, and it appeared, that forty six parts of fifty nine of the whole cavity of the vessel had been emptied of air’ (Birch 4:551-52).
At the meeting on 26 October 1687, 'A paper of Dr. Papin was read concerning a way of applying the force of gun-powder to raise weights, and to other mechanical uses; of which he shewed the experiment' (Birch 4:550).
See also: 9 November 1687, ‘Dr. Papin gave in a paper about the quantity of air evacuated by the flash of gun-powder in his experiment tried on the 26th of October; which paper was read, and it appeared, that forty six parts of fifty nine of the whole cavity of the vessel had been emptied of air’ (Birch 4:551-52).
Related fellows
Denis Papin (1647, French) , Natural philosopher
Associated place