system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 Why does releasing an empty bow shatter it?

Why doesn't the energy just turn into sound and vibrations of the bow string?
gpt
A bow pulled back is storing a lot of energy. With an arrow in place, that energy is transferred (mostly) to the arrow, and it happens much more slowly. Without an arrow, the bulk of the energy gets absorbed by the string and limbs, and it happens much more quickly, so it's more of a sudden shock. Sudden shocks can be more damaging.