Building an electromagnetic gun of some sort

[Larrymon2000]

So, for our grade 11 project, we need to build a device that uses magnets and the principles of electromagnetism. While most people are doing motors and generators (kiddie stuff), I decided (with my group) to build a device along the lines of a gauss gun. The difference is that I am using a current running through a coil that will create a magnetic field around it. This field will only last for a very short period of time, but enough to launch a neodymium magnet through the air. It doesn't have to be a real gun or anything, but it has to launch the object.

Can it be done?
What are the parts I would need?
Any links, websites, diagrams, schematics?
Other suggestions?

 

[Born2bwire]

Well, why don't you just use the old magnetic induction coil to make a ring jump up? Good demonstration of Lenz's law and that would be in line with high school physics. You could easily wind your own induction coil.

 

[silverpig]

Google for gauss gun. It's quite easy.

The cooler project would be to make a Jacobs ladder.

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: silverpig
Google for gauss gun. It's quite easy.

The cooler project would be to make a Jacobs ladder.

Mmmmm.... Jacob's Ladder kabobs and hotdogs...

 

[herm0016]

or just make a solenoid. wrap magnet wire around a tube and put a chunk of iron rod in the center, it will move to the center as you apply voltage, by varying the windings and size and things you should be able to shoot stuff with it.

 

[futuristicmonkey]

A solenoid?

 

[krotchy]

Originally posted by: Larrymon2000
So, for our grade 11 project, we need to build a device that uses magnets and the principles of electromagnetism. While most people are doing motors and generators (kiddie stuff), I decided (with my group) to build a device along the lines of a gauss gun. The difference is that I am using a current running through a coil that will create a magnetic field around it. This field will only last for a very short period of time, but enough to launch a neodymium magnet through the air. It doesn't have to be a real gun or anything, but it has to launch the object.

Can it be done?
What are the parts I would need?
Any links, websites, diagrams, schematics?
Other suggestions?

This sounds an awful lot like the theory behind a rail gun. Some kid in my classes at college made a rail gun of sorts. It shot a small metal ring that was wrapped around a thin shaft at like 1250m/s. Basically the middle shaft was the + terminal and the barrel of the gun was the - terminal. The ring was copper and conductive, so it completed the circuit, and the EMF generated causes it to launch. It required some crazy amounts of current to create the electromagnetic force to launch the ring fast, but I could definitely see you making a much weaker gun, heres a nice wiki article on rail guns in general. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_gun

 

[djhuber82]

I recently saw a very cool science science project that might qualify. Hold short (~4 feet) length of copper pipe vertically and drop a neodymium magnet through the center. Anyone here care to guess what will happen?

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: djhuber82
I recently saw a very cool science science project that might qualify. Hold short (~4 feet) length of copper pipe vertically and drop a neodymium magnet through the center. Anyone here care to guess what will happen?

it falls very slowly because of eddy currents

 

[Evadman]

I made one in high school for fun, exactly how you specified. One verison was 2 Bic pen tubes wrapped in about 300' (I think, it has been a while) magnet wire in parallel paths. I got the ohms to about 8 ohms, which would pull 15 amps of 120v AC current (max before I started blowing breakers). I used a momentary contact switch to fire it and just tapped it. It would easily launch a nail across the room (40' or so) or stick it into a piece of wood. I made some much bigger ones in college that pulled may mroe amps over a longer distance, and were just plain dangerous.

However, it was fun launching metalic objects all over campus from my 10th floor room. People got pissed sometimes though when I blew the main breaker for the floor.

I know I posted about them in HT before, as this question comes up quite often.

 

[MrDudeMan]

btw, its called a coil gun if it is a single stage, or a rail gun if it is multiple stages.

 

[networkman]

Power Labs Rail Gun Research