The Gauss gun (often called a Gauss rifle or Gauss cannon) is a device that uses permanent magnets and the physics of the Newton's cradle to accelerate a projectile. Gauss guns are distinct from and predate coil guns, although many works of science fiction (and occasionally the educators[1]) have confused the two. Typical use of the Gauss rifle is to demonstrate the effects of energy and momentum transfer,[2] however, self-assembling microbots based on the principle have been proposed for tissue penetration.[3]
Operation of the simplest Gauss rifle (colored ball is the magnet)
In its frequent incarnation as a physics demonstration, a Gauss gun usually consists of series of ferromagnetic balls on a nonmagnetic track. On the track is a permanent magnet with a ball, the projectile, stuck to the front of it. Between the projectile and the magnet is a spacer, usually consisting of one or more additional balls. Yet another ball, the trigger ball, is released from behind the magnet. It is attracted to and accelerates toward the magnet. When it strikes the back of the magnet, it transfers its momentum to the projectile ball, which is knocked off the front of the stack, as in a Newton's cradle. Because the spacer kept it far away from the magnet, the projectile loses less energy escaping from the magnet's influence than the trigger ball gave it, so it leaves the stack with a higher velocity than the trigger ball entered with.[4]
Once the ball is launched, the trigger ball must be pried off the back of the magnet before it can be used again. This is where the energy to shoot the gun ultimately comes from.
Multi-stage Gauss guns are also possible, with the projectile of each stage becoming the trigger for the next, carrying its energy forward so that each stage contributes energy to the final projectile.
^Blodgett, Matthew E.; Blodgett, E. D. (December 2006). "Crafting a Gauss Gun Demonstration". Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society. 38. 2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, id.58.06: 972. Bibcode:2006AAS...209.5806B.
^Becker, Aaron T.; Felfoul, Ouajdi; Dupont, Pierre E. (2015). "Toward tissue penetration by MRI-powered millirobots using a self-assembled Gauss gun". 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). IEEE. pp. 1184–1189. doi:10.1109/ICRA.2015.7139341. ISBN978-1-4799-6923-4.
^Chemin, Besserve, Caussarieu, Taberlet, Plihon, Arsène, Pauline, Aude, Nicolas, Nicolas (1904). "Magnetic cannon: The physics of the Gauss rifle". American Journal of Physics. 85 (7): 495–502. doi:10.1119/1.4979653. Retrieved 2023-03-09.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Sourcesedit
Meredith, Dawn C.; Redish, Edward F. (2013-07-01). "Reinventing physics for life-sciences majors". Physics Today. 66 (7): 38–43. Bibcode:2013PhT....66g..38M. doi:10.1063/PT.3.2046. ISSN 0031-9228.
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gauss, confused, with, coilgun, railgun, often, called, gauss, rifle, gauss, cannon, device, that, uses, permanent, magnets, physics, newton, cradle, accelerate, projectile, distinct, from, predate, coil, guns, although, many, works, science, fiction, occasion. Not to be confused with Coilgun or Railgun The Gauss gun often called a Gauss rifle or Gauss cannon is a device that uses permanent magnets and the physics of the Newton s cradle to accelerate a projectile Gauss guns are distinct from and predate coil guns although many works of science fiction and occasionally the educators 1 have confused the two Typical use of the Gauss rifle is to demonstrate the effects of energy and momentum transfer 2 however self assembling microbots based on the principle have been proposed for tissue penetration 3 Contents 1 Mechanism 2 See also 3 External Links 4 References 5 SourcesMechanism edit nbsp Operation of the simplest Gauss rifle colored ball is the magnet In its frequent incarnation as a physics demonstration a Gauss gun usually consists of series of ferromagnetic balls on a nonmagnetic track On the track is a permanent magnet with a ball the projectile stuck to the front of it Between the projectile and the magnet is a spacer usually consisting of one or more additional balls Yet another ball the trigger ball is released from behind the magnet It is attracted to and accelerates toward the magnet When it strikes the back of the magnet it transfers its momentum to the projectile ball which is knocked off the front of the stack as in a Newton s cradle Because the spacer kept it far away from the magnet the projectile loses less energy escaping from the magnet s influence than the trigger ball gave it so it leaves the stack with a higher velocity than the trigger ball entered with 4 Once the ball is launched the trigger ball must be pried off the back of the magnet before it can be used again This is where the energy to shoot the gun ultimately comes from Multi stage Gauss guns are also possible with the projectile of each stage becoming the trigger for the next carrying its energy forward so that each stage contributes energy to the final projectile See also editNewton s Cradle List of science demonstrations Galilean cannonExternal Links editA Youtube video explaining the Gauss gunReferences edit Blodgett Matthew E Blodgett E D December 2006 Crafting a Gauss Gun Demonstration Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society 38 2007 AAS AAPT Joint Meeting American Astronomical Society Meeting 209 id 58 06 972 Bibcode 2006AAS 209 5806B Meredith amp Redish 2013 pp 40 41 Becker Aaron T Felfoul Ouajdi Dupont Pierre E 2015 Toward tissue penetration by MRI powered millirobots using a self assembled Gauss gun 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation ICRA IEEE pp 1184 1189 doi 10 1109 ICRA 2015 7139341 ISBN 978 1 4799 6923 4 Chemin Besserve Caussarieu Taberlet Plihon Arsene Pauline Aude Nicolas Nicolas 1904 Magnetic cannon The physics of the Gauss rifle American Journal of Physics 85 7 495 502 doi 10 1119 1 4979653 Retrieved 2023 03 09 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Sources editMeredith Dawn C Redish Edward F 2013 07 01 Reinventing physics for life sciences majors Physics Today 66 7 38 43 Bibcode 2013PhT 66g 38M doi 10 1063 PT 3 2046 ISSN 0031 9228 nbsp This physics related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gauss gun amp oldid 1223266859, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
