Introduction

              My name is Trevor Kress and I am currently a senior at Sycamore High School. As a senior, I am required to complete a senior capstone project. For my project, I decided to research something I was very interested in; external ballistics. External ballistics is the study of how the conditions and physical laws of the earth can effect how a projectile travels through the air such as wind, gravity, and drag.

           I primarily chose this topic because I have always had a keen interest in firearms. Ever since I was young I have been around firearms because my family is full of hunters and outdoorsmen. I still remember the day my Dad bought me my first BB gun, and the time when my Mother took me on a hunting trip where I scored my first deer trophy. This hooked me and made me want to know more about guns and how they work. I have also had an equal interest in physics. As a kid I always asked my parents why the moon changed shapes, why the tides changed, and why there was wind. These unanswered questions stabbed at my attention and constantly made me want to know more about the earth and why things are the way they are. When I learned about external ballistics and how it combined two of my interests, I was very excited to research and learn more.