bows

Bows are devices used to propel projectiles in archery and to produce sound in string instruments. In archery, a bow stores energy by bending its limbs when drawn and releases it to launch an arrow. A typical bow consists of two limbs connected by a grip and a string, with components such as a riser, nocking point, and sometimes sights. Draw weight, measured in pounds, indicates the force required to draw the bow to a standard distance. Modern bows may include accessories such as sights, stabilizers, and specialized strings.

Archery bows vary in design. Longbows have relatively straight limbs with a simple profile. Recurve bows have limbs that curve away from the archer, increasing power. Composite bows combine materials such as wood, horn, and sinew to improve strength and elasticity. Some designs are reflex-deflex, bending the limbs into a pronounced curve to store more energy. Compound bows use a system of cams and pulleys to achieve high energy storage with less draw effort. Materials range from traditional wood for self bows to laminations of wood, fiberglass, and carbon fiber in contemporary models.

In music, a bow refers to a curved stick strung with horsehair that is drawn across strings to produce sound, as in the violin family. Musical bows vary in weight, balance, and hair type, affecting tone and response. The term may also describe experimental or culturally specific bowed instruments that use similar mechanisms to animate their strings.