Mention bulletproof vest and this reminds many about the two slain VAT 69 commandos in Lahad Datu, Sabah recently.
In both fatal shooting by intruders, the victims were shot on their heads. Had it been on other parts of the body, they'd have better chance of survival. Because, surely they'd have been equipped with safety vests.
So, how do bulletproof vests work? Bullet proof vests are common pieces of protective equipment used by law enforcement and private security personnel.
They are designed to disperse the bullet's energy and deform the slug to minimise blunt force trauma. Hard body armour is made of strengthened steel plates. It is strong and effective but also heavy and cumbersome. But some ammunition can even penetrate steel, requiring stronger materials still.
The latest vests employ overlapping super-strength but lightweight composites of ceramic and titanium. Soft body armour is not as strong, but it is more lightweight and less conspicuous to wear. It is woven out of interlacing strands of Kevlar. Like hard body armour, layers of this tough, net-like material deform the incoming bullet, absorbing certain amount of its energy. The wearer would still feel the hit but at a much reduced impact.
TheGreenMechanics: Bulletproof or not, war and conflict should be avoided best as possible!
Further reading here, and ScienceFocus
In both fatal shooting by intruders, the victims were shot on their heads. Had it been on other parts of the body, they'd have better chance of survival. Because, surely they'd have been equipped with safety vests.
Testing the bulletproof vest. Wikipedia photo.
So, how do bulletproof vests work? Bullet proof vests are common pieces of protective equipment used by law enforcement and private security personnel.
They are designed to disperse the bullet's energy and deform the slug to minimise blunt force trauma. Hard body armour is made of strengthened steel plates. It is strong and effective but also heavy and cumbersome. But some ammunition can even penetrate steel, requiring stronger materials still.
The latest vests employ overlapping super-strength but lightweight composites of ceramic and titanium. Soft body armour is not as strong, but it is more lightweight and less conspicuous to wear. It is woven out of interlacing strands of Kevlar. Like hard body armour, layers of this tough, net-like material deform the incoming bullet, absorbing certain amount of its energy. The wearer would still feel the hit but at a much reduced impact.
TheGreenMechanics: Bulletproof or not, war and conflict should be avoided best as possible!
