Magnetic Cannon

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Perhaps you could try to make a larger scale railgun by having electro magnets to the particle accelerating to launch something like a paint can at a given target.

-- Aaron Engi (lospantalones@yahoo.com), January 30, 2001

Answers

would they have to strip apart starter motors to build the electromagnets? I don't see the two ways to skin the cat rule working here.

-- Stephen A. Binion (Stephenbinion@hotmail.com), January 30, 2001.

I like the railgun idea. You could actually shoot railroad spikes as the projectile. Each team has to build the gun that will be judged based on accuracy and power. As for two ways to skin a cat...I wouln't strip apart a starter motor for this. I'd find some copper wire and a really big spool, and start wrapping. Some other things you could do would be have a "plug" that reacts on the electromagnet, forcing the spike forward. Or you could act on the spike itself with the magnet. If the challenge seems too simple, you could allow the teams to build a magnetic shield. Something to stop (or alter the direction of) a metal projectile. Then there's the magnetic RADAR jammer, Radio signal jammers, etc. I like magnets. You could power the magnets with a gas engine turning a series of alternators, running current into your electromagnet. You build up an action potential and then let 'er rip.

Magnets are fun, these ideas should be explored more. in my humble opinion.

-- Jeff Kempiners (kemputer26@hotmail.com), February 13, 2001.


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