In architecture

Architecture

Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

, the geometric term sagitta refers to the depth of an arc. It is used extensively in architecture when calculating the arc necessary to span a certain height and distance.

Defined by the following, where s equals sagitta (the depth of the arc), r equals the radius of the circle, and l is one half the distance across the base of the arc:

or

Architects, engineers, and contractors use these equations to create "flattened" arcs that are used in curved walls, arched ceilings, bridges, and numerous other applications.

The sagitta also has uses in physics where it is used, along with chord length, to calculate the radius of curvature of an accelerated particle. This is used especially in bubble chamber

Bubble chamber

A bubble chamber is a vessel filled with a superheated transparent liquid used to detect electrically charged particles moving through it. It was invented in 1952 by Donald A. Glaser, for which he was awarded the 1960 Nobel Prize in Physics...

experiments where it is used to determine the momenta of decay particles.