Kevlar - how does it work?

[Nathan]

well ok but what about an explanation of "absorb"

I guess the difference between absorb and disperse is probably just the type of energy the bullet's kinetic energy is transmogrified into. (For some reason I was thinking about the Calvin and Hobbs comic strip where they make a transmogrifier, so I thought I'd use it. ) Heat, plastic deformation, and free surface creation could all be considered absorbed forms of energy because the energy stays within the kevlar/bullet. (though heat will eventually leak away) Sound and motion could be considered dispersive because they carry the energy away from the vest.

http://mckenzhi.tripod.com/weekdaytransmogrifyintoatiger.html

 

[Simon F]

well ok but what about an explanation of "absorb"

Honestly your body would do A LOT of the absorbing. If it didn't then you wouldn't feel a thing.

Perhaps Legion should think about what happens when the bullet was originally fired. Newton's laws of motion say that equal and opposite foces are applied to the bullet and the gun/idiot-with-the-gun yet that person isn't killed.

 

[FUDie]

well ok but what about an explanation of "absorb"

Honestly your body would do A LOT of the absorbing. If it didn't then you wouldn't feel a thing.

Perhaps Legion should think about what happens when the bullet was originally fired. Newton's laws of motion say that equal and opposite foces are applied to the bullet and the gun/idiot-with-the-gun yet that person isn't killed.

If someone shot me and failed to kill me, then they'd better run like hell! Equal and opposite reaction indeed!

-FUDie