A crossbow works like a spring. You’ve presumably seen firsthand the way that a spring reacts to force. When you push down and compress a spring, it reverts to its unique shape when you let go.
This is a direct result of the spring’s potential energy, the energy it stores given an adjustment of its shape. Whenever you pull one spring end, it stores potential energy until you let go. Its potential energy becomes kinetic energy (the energy allowing motion) and permits the spring to revert to its original shape and bounce around.
This is, by and large, the mechanism that transpires when you draw a bow. Drawing the string back to the level of your ears pulls the limb tips towards you, thereby altering the crossbow’s shape. The bow springs back to its normal shape whenever you let go, and the bowstring moves back to its normal position. The motion and energy combine to drive the arrow from the bow at high velocity. The amount of energy a bow can hold is determined by two key factors: 1. The draw weight and 2. The draw length of the crossbow.