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
p2
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 295mm
width (page): 195mm
width (page): 195mm
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'.
Another version can be found at RBO/7/017, and its copy at RBC/7/021.
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'.
Another version can be found at RBO/7/017, and its copy at RBC/7/021.
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