Canadian Restricted and Non-Restricted Firearm Safety (CRFSC) Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Master Your Safety Certification!

Trajectory refers to the path that a projectile follows through space as a function of time. Several physical factors influence this path. Among these factors, velocity, mass, and gravity are key elements contributing to the trajectory of a projectile.

Velocity affects how quickly a projectile travels and the distance it covers over time. A higher velocity generally results in a flatter trajectory, allowing the projectile to reach its target more effectively.

Mass plays a critical role in trajectory as well; heavier projectiles can carry momentum better and are less affected by air resistance, resulting in a more stable path through the air compared to lighter projectiles.

Gravity is a constant force that acts upon all projectiles, causing them to fall towards the Earth. It influences the vertical component of a projectile's trajectory, causing a curved path rather than a straight line.

Wind direction does impact the trajectory by altering the stability and path of a projectile as it travels, but it is not a fundamental factor like velocity, mass, or gravity. While wind can affect how far or accurately a projectile travels, it does not fundamentally determine the trajectory itself the way the other factors do. Therefore, wind direction is the factor that is not inherent to the primary physics of trajectory.