A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that can be used with intent to inflict damage or harm. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of violence. An act of violence may be perpetrated with weapons such as firearms, explosives, knives, swords, clubs, vehicles, and body parts such as hands and feet. Biological weapons (including pathogens and toxins), chemical weapons, nuclear weapons and cybernetic weapons are also considered weapons.
The development of weaponry has been a constant feature of human history. Prehistoric humans used crude tools made from stone, bone and wood which were effective against both animals and other humans. As technology progressed so did the effectiveness and deadliness of weaponry; spears gave way to bows and arrows which in turn led to guns and guns led to ever more destructive devices such as tanks, aircraft carriers and nuclear bombs. The invention of gunpowder in medieval China ushered in an era of ever more lethal projectile weaponry beginning with the musket followed by the rifle, machine gun and artillery pieces. In addition to their use on land warfare increasingly sophisticated naval warfare saw the introduction of cannon fire from ships onto enemy vessels leading eventually to submarines carrying ballistic missiles capable of reaching targets on land hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
The science behind designing ever more effective killing machines is known as ballistics which includes fields such as aerodynamics (the study how objects move through air), thermodynamics (the study heat transfer) hydrodynamics (the study fluid flow)and mechanics (the branch dealing with motion). In order for a projectile weapon to work it must first over come three problems: drag (air resistance), lift (upward forces acting on a projectile)and gravity (the force pulling objects towards the center of the Earth). A variety of methods have been employed over time in order overcome these challenges including rifling barrels (spinning bullets inside them so they fly straighter), using rocket propulsion instead air power or increasing muzzle velocity by using larger caliber bullets or multiple barrels firing simultaneously. One particularly important area currently being researched is improving accuracy by using computer controlled systems that can take into account variables such wind speed direction humidity changes in temperature terrain features even Coriolis Effect which causes moving objects appear deflected from their path due Earth’s rotation .
While most people associate deadly violence with international conflicts between nation states it should be noted that much smaller scale but nonetheless deadly interpersonal violence is endemic many societies around world; indeed some experts believe we may be witnessing start what they term “global war civilization” . This type fighting different its aims largely determined economic social political cultural factors unique each situation rather than territorial expansion although control natural resources still play significant role especially where valuable minerals found countries gripped by civil unrest e g diamond mines Sierra Leone blood diamonds Liberia coltan Congo Basin . The small arms trade provides ready supply cheaply priced firearms ammunition other associated goods anyone wishing purchase them legal means often quite easy illegally too fuel wars gangland turf battles drug trafficking operations armed robberies home invasions muggings sexual assaults rapes murders et cetera ad infinitum sadly list goes on… One thing certain though whatever form future conflict takes one thing remains will find use for same old fashioned pointy end stick