Image

Fun with Fundamentals Puzzler: Shell Shocker

Jan. 1, 2007
Wurme gets to his stand early on opening day, initiating a new era of hunting. He fires up his generator and tunes it to 40 A. If the slug shooter is based on conventional railgun design, how far can he reach with each shot?

See the previous problem: Gone to the dogs.

Finagle J. Wurme has missed deer season again. For the tenth straight year, his boss at Charlie's Diner wouldn't give him time off. Randy, the cook, claimed bow season. Andy, the cashier, took gun season, and the new hostess, Sandy, blocked off all the days during muzzle loading for cosmetic surgery.

Determined to hunt and aided by a loophole in the local county code, Wurme establishes an auxiliary season for electric sporting arms. Using an old rifle stock, some jumper cables, and wire hangers, he concocts a device that would make Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson howl.

Wurme gets to his stand early on opening day, initiating a new era of hunting. He fires up his generator and tunes it to 40 A.

If the slug shooter is based on conventional railgun design, how far can he reach with each shot?

Assume the rails are 5 cm apart and that they generate a magnetic field of 5 Tesla.

Assume the horizontal acceleration Ax is assigned a value of 1,000 m/sec2 when the projectile is still within the gun. (Once it's left the gun, well ... think about it ...)

Assume the rail is about 1 m long.

Hint: You can the equation X = Xo + Vxo·T + 0.5·Ax·T2 to describe the system.

Okay, I've had enough. Give me the solution.

About the Author

Elisabeth Eitel

Elisabeth Eitel was a Senior Editor at Machine Design magazine until 2014. She has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Fenn College at Cleveland State University.

Sponsored Recommendations

Customizations to Get Standard Motors to Mars

Jan. 10, 2025
Clearly, the Martian environment can be harsh and unaccommodating to systems made to operate on Earth. Through a combination of standard industrial motors and creative collaboration...

No Access for Bacteria: An Inside Look at Maxon's Cleanroom

Jan. 10, 2025
Tiny drive systems for use in the human body have to be built in a clean environment, free of microbiological contamination. Welcome to the GMP cleanroom of maxon, where discipline...

High-Efficiency, Precision Drive Systems for Every Robot

Jan. 10, 2025
Robots assemble devices, explore space, and perform surgeries. To achieve human-like motion and accuracy they need powerful and highly precise drives. Learn about custom-made ...

The Importance of Motors in Transportation

Jan. 10, 2025
As we progress toward more efficient and automated systems, the need for robust and reliable motors in the transportation industry has become more critical than ever. Explore ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!