If I use alligator clips to connect four D cell batteries to a coil of magnet wire, will it be enough to launch a rocket with an alum inn base(in this case, a soda can) into the air for a reasonable height?
To see what I'm talking about, click on the link:
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/em-rocket
OK? PLZ HELP!!!
(bonus: first person with reliable answer gets a best answer!!)
2007-03-05 10:03:20 · 6 answers · asked by Muhaimen 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Those blue cylinders are capacitors. By the size, I would guess that the current is hundreds of amps for a short period. I would also guess that the voltage is hundreds of volts. The 4 D cells won't even come close to doing what you want.
2007-03-05 10:23:19 · answer #1 · answered by John S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Voltage is not nessesarily the answer..the size of the coil & how many windings are on it makes a huge difference as does the amount of clearance between the coil & the rocket( less clearance is better) from the look of the PIC in the link the coil is internal..( the rocket slips over the coil ) so the Diameter of the rocket will determine how big the coil is in lenght & diameter..
I think you will have to build one & see how it performs & then modify the rocket or coil a few times to see which direction the modifications need to go to give you the best performance..
2007-03-05 10:27:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess the 16 cylinders in the picture are capacitors not batteries. One can get high amperage for a short time this way. Probably better to charge them to 100 V. not 6V. Read up on battery's internal resistance and Ohm's Law. Also the number of turns of wire are very important. A little math say calculate the amperes, number of turns, and estimate the magnetic field in the aluminum plate. Then F = Mass * acceleration. Velocity = acceleration * time. Even some rought calculations will tell you a lot.
2007-03-05 10:17:51 · answer #3 · answered by metaraison 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are making a linear induction motor, so you might want to look up some equations on that.
You might want to have some type of current limiter placed between your power source (the batteries) and the launcher coil, like a 1:1 transformer, or a resistor, to prevent the batteries from over heating and blowing up.
Here are some specifications for an EM launcher that I found on the web:
2007-03-05 10:32:02 · answer #4 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No...Four "D" cells in series will only produce 6 volts...this is not enough voltage to launch anything more than an inch...also the material being launched must be ferrous...a soda can is not ferrous, meaning it does not contain IRON, and will not work...In order to make a "Rail Gun" which does launch ferrous materials you need multiple coils and THOUSANDS of VOLTS...
2007-03-05 11:01:04 · answer #5 · answered by Zap101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember seeing an electromagnet with a 16v battery not really do much but make a little weak magnet. I don't think 4 D's would do it.
2007-03-05 10:07:32 · answer #6 · answered by MLBfreek35 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋