Electromagnetic Propulsion Systems: Railguns

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of this experiment is to determine which of three rail compositions (copper, brass, or aluminum) would fire a projectile from a rail gun the furthest distance. A rail gun uses an electrical current to accelerate a projectile along a pair of metal rails. Methods/Materials Five prototype rail guns were constructed using a range of power sources and rail configurations, all resulting in a lot of sparking but no movement of a projectile. The sixth configuration produced movement, at which point three rail guns were built for this experiment. Each gun used a different rail material: copper, brass, and aluminum. The guns were each fired ten times, and the distances that the projectile travelled were measured and recorded. Results The rail gun that utilized copper rails consistently fired further than the gun that employed brass rails. The gun with aluminum rails fired the shortest distance. Conclusions/Discussion The test results indicate that rail guns using copper rails fire a projectile further than guns that use brass or aluminum rails, presumably because copper is the best conductor of electricity of the three metals.

Competition history

• CSEF 2012 Electronics & Electromagnetics · Entry J0914

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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