Thread: New idea for use of magnetism in guns. Would this work?

I was having a class on Physics when out of nowhere emerged the thought: "Why can't we have guns without gunpowder?"

I kept thinking on a solution. And I thouht about something that, in my mind, made sense:

1) Get two long, rectangular magnets. (About 1 Metre each)

2) Carve a semi-cricle in each, so that their concave parts repel each other (negative and negative or vice-versa). Make it so that when put together, the concave parts form a tube runs through them.

3) Tape them tightly together, allowing a repelling field to be created inside the tube.

4) Insert a Metal ball in the tube and push it with a wood stick until it reaches the middle of the tube.

5) The ball should fly out, the other way, with a great speed.

What do you guys think? Would this work? Should I test it? Please comment.

The magnets would repel each other but they would both attract an iron ball. It wouldn't go flying out the end.

There is already an invention called a railgun that propels an iron ball using magnetic force.

Why are there two threads on this issue?

Montysire, post once, not multiple times. Please.

....dude, why'd you post this twice?

more so
Dude...why's this in the Chem forums? this isn't remotely Chem, this is physics, pure and simple.


it's already been answered there too, NO