Gauss Rifle

Created by Alex Page, Mitch Keller, Kyle Zimmermann, and Bryan Henne

 

 

The Purpose:

         

          A gauss rifle is an example of kinetic energy released through a series of chain reactions using magnets.  Similar to the Maglev train, little energy is needed to cause the gun to “shoot” the final ball.  This magnetic linear accelerator illustrates the basic concepts behind actual rail guns, the practical form of a gauss rifle.

 

The Concept:

 

          A series of magnets and several steel balls are placed on an aluminum track.  The number of balls placed after each magnet affects the distance the gun shoots the final ball.  Experiment with different combinations to see what works best.  An aluminum track was used because magnets are not attracted to aluminum.  This allowed for all of the magnetic energy to be transferred between the steel balls and the magnets only.  In order to fire the gun, place one steel ball at the beginning of the track and roll it at a moderate pace towards the first magnet.  The result is a quick chain reaction followed by the last ball shooting off the end of the track.

Gauss Rifle Main Page
Gauss Rifle Study Guide
Gauss Rifle Construction Page
Magnetism Research Page