can a magnet deflect a bullet?

Question

can a maget be powerful enough to repel a bullet shot from a gun?

Answer 1

Only if the bullet itself is a magnet, and even then it would have to be extremely powerful, and the angle would have to be absolutely perfect. There's a good chance it would deflect the bullet enough to turn it around, in which case it would attract the bullet instead of repelling it.
Your best bet would be to try to attract the bullet away toward something worthless, rather than trying to repel it from the target. Even then, it would still require an incredibly powerful magnet and a magnetic projectile like steel shot. Most bullets are lead, which is not magnetic.

Answer 2

Yes. If the bullet crosses the flux lines of a strong magnet, that is, where the magnetic field is perpendicular to the path of the bullet, then circulating eddy currents will be induced in the conductive projectile (lead, steel, any metal) as it "cuts" these magnetic field lines. The circulating currents create a magnetic field that opposes the original magnetic field and does so in such a manner that a force is developed on the bullet deflecting it at right angles to its original flight path.

The magnet would have to be very strong, and bullet would have to pass through the magnetic field for a relatively long length of time at a high velocity to have an appreciable affect on the bullet trajectory.

There is a simple physics demonstration of magnetic induction where a copper ring is allowed to fall, constrained by a plastic rod, toward an electromagnet. It falls much slower with the magnet turned on than it does with the magnet turned off.

Answer 3

Great Question!

Here's my theory. The field of a magnet would have to be significantly greater than the force at which the bullet was being propelled to affect the bullet's trajectory. I don't think that the magnet could 'repel' the bullet, since it would require that the bullet had a polarity opposite of that to the magnet, but perhaps a magnet could alter the trajectory of the bullet away from a specific target by pulling the bullet toward the magnet.

Answer 4

commonly no. understand that maximum bullets are lead. militia rounds use copper jackets over the lead bullet to strengthen penetration, yet copper isn't involved in a magnet until eventually it rather is carrying an electric powered fee. Magnetism isn't an exceedingly sturdy tension and bullets flow extremely immediately. to end a bullet you may could fire one with an iron middle and shoot it by an significant magnetic container, ideally one with a lengthy axis of action so the bullet would nicely be caught. The Mythbusters (on the invention Channel) proved that a bullet doesn’t have sufficient momentum to knock a guy down, yet they nonetheless %. various momentum and it takes a remarkable style of means to sluggish them down. on account that they're so small they do a sturdy interest of penetrating the objective. Particle Accelerators use magnetism to strengthen up sub atomic debris to close to mild velocity, yet they require various means to try this and easily flow very tiny debris.

Answer 5

It has to be really powerful, be close enough of the bullet and cover a long area (not large).

Answer 6

No. Lead bullets are non-magnetic. The worlds strongest magnet would have little effect.