What does 'Trajectory' describe in gunnery?

Trajectory describes the path that a projectile follows from the gun to the first point of impact. Understanding trajectory is crucial in gunnery, as it encompasses various factors that determine how a projectile will travel once it is fired. This includes the initial velocity, the angle of launch, the influence of gravity, air resistance, and any other environmental factors that might affect the projectile's movement.

In practical terms, knowing the trajectory helps gunners make accurate judgments regarding aiming and adjusting for distance, elevation, and lateral factors. This ensures that the projectile hits the intended target effectively. The trajectory is a fundamental concept in ballistics, as it directly influences the success of a shot in various tactical scenarios.

The other options do describe aspects of gunnery but do not encapsulate the full definition of trajectory itself. For instance, the angle at which the gun is fired is important for determining trajectory but does not define it. Similarly, while the distance traveled by the projectile before impact relates to performance, it is not the same as the trajectory itself, which is concerned more with the path taken. The speed of the projectile is another important variable, but again, it does not capture the complete concept of trajectory, which focuses on the entire path traveled.