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3rd International Conference on Hands-on Science Hands-on Experiments

© 2006 H-Sci ISBN 989 9509 50 7

Keywords. Coil Gun, Jumping Ring,

Thompson’s Coil.

1. Introduction

The apparatus described in this paper was

invented by the American engineer and inventor
Elihu Thompson (1853–1937) [1] to demonstrate
his pioneering research in alternating current and
high frequency.
The recreated device is capable of throwing
metal rings using Electromagnetism laws
formulated by Biot-Savart, Ampère and Faraday-
Lenz [2,3]. Further explanations will be merely
Figure 9. The Electromagnetic Shoot has an qualitative. Thompson’s jumping ring is a great
iron case mounted on a turning base experiment to demonstrate Electromagnetism
laws in science fairs and hands-on classes.
The device has been a success as a science The device is composed by a coil, winded
fair attraction. Building it was exciting. It was an around an extremity of a ferromagnetic core,
opportunity to learn a lot and gain experience, leaving about two thirds protruding (Fig. 1). The
too. projectiles are conducting non-ferromagnetic
rings. The coil is driven by an alternating current
5. References for a short period of time, until the ring leaves
the core.
[1] Plonus, Martin A.; Applied Electromagnetics.
McGraw-Hill, 1986.
[2] Mendiratta, Sushil Kumar. Introdução ao
Electromagnetismo. Fundação Calouste
Gulbenkian, 1984.

Induction Coil Gun

Vitor Matos, Luis Silva

and João Sena Esteves
Dept. of Industrial Electronics. University
of Minho.
Campus of Azurém. 4800-058 GUIMARÃES
Portugal.
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
Figure 1. Schematic of the apparatus
Abstract. This paper describes a device capable
of throwing metal rings at a range of a few The recreated device (Fig. 2) was made with
meters. Part of an iron pipe is inserted on a coil. an iron pipe with 600mm length and 60mm
A conducting non-ferromagnetic ring is inserted diameter, as core. Around 200mm of the length
in the pipe through its other extremity. An of the core, about 800 turns of 0.90mm insulated
alternating current flowing through the coil copper were winded. Rings were made to fit
creates an alternating magnetic field, which around the core and are made of aluminum,
magnetizes the iron pipe. So, an alternating copper and brass.
magnetic field is created around the pipe and For safety reasons, core and coil were fit in a
induces a circumferential current flowing in the structure that prevents aiming upward, in a
ring. This current is repelled by the magnetic direction perpendicular to the ground. A fixed
field, forcing the ring to jump out of the pipe. angle of 30º with horizontal direction was
imposed, making rings jump forward.

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Hands-on Experiments 3rd International Conference on Hands-on Science
© 2006 H-Sci ISBN 989 9509 50 7

The structure can rotate, so the operator can

choose the horizontal direction. This way, the
device can easily be used as a ‘shoot the target’
science fair game, with variable direction and
multiple projectiles with different shooting
ranges.
Figure 3. Magnetic field in a circumferential
current

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 represent the magnetic field

lines created by a coil with an air core. Using a
core protruding from the coil will change this
magnetic distribution, resulting in a slightly
different magnetic field (Fig. 6).

Figure 2. The apparatus

2. How it works

The coil gun works on the principles of

electromagnetic induction and repulsion [4].
When it is fired, an alternating current flows
through the coil creating an alternating magnetic
field. The field magnetizes the iron, which
induces a circunferencial alternating current in
the ring. This current is repelled by the magnetic
field, making the ring jump from the core at a Figure 4. Magnetic field generated by several
distance of a few meters. turns
The faster the magnetic flux changes, the
greater are the induced currents in the ring,
resulting in a stronger force.

3. Step 1 – Creating a magnetic field

As described in the previous chapter, the

device is driven by an alternating current, which
flows through the coil creating a magnetic field
around it (Biot-Savart’s Law).
When the current flows in a circular
direction, the resulting magnetic field is similar
to a magnet, with the field flowing from the
North pole to the South pole.
The created field is not strong enough to
magnetize the core unless strong currents are
used. In order to reduce the employed currents
maintaining the field value, it is required to add
more turns to the coil. This way, the field created
by each turn will add up, resulting in a stronger Figure 5. Magnetic field generated by a coil
magnetic field. (simulation)

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3rd International Conference on Hands-on Science Hands-on Experiments
© 2006 H-Sci ISBN 989 9509 50 7

5. Step 3 – Magnetic repulsion

A current flowing in a magnetic field suffers

an action of a force (an equation to determine
this force was a result from the experimental
work of Ampère and Biot-Savart [2]). Two
conductors with currents flowing in the same
direction are attracted to each other and two
conductors with currents flowing in opposite
direction are repelled from each other (Fig. 8).
The same applies to two parallel conductors
with the shape of a ring. Using currents that flow
in the same direction makes them attract each
other. Using currents that flow in the opposite
directions makes them repeal each other (Fig. 9).
This is the repulsion principle of the apparatus.
The current in the coil is opposite to the induced
current in the projectile, resulting in a force
Figure 6. Magnetic field generated by a coil applied to it (Fig. 10).
with core (simulation) But is the current from the coil really
opposite to the induced current? The alternating
4. Step 2 – Inducing a current in the current applied to the coil creates in the core an
projectile alternating magnetic flux that is directly
proportional to the current and induces an
Because the current in the coil is alternating, alternating current advanced π/4 from the source
so will be the magnetic field in the coil and the current [5]. So, the resulting force is repulsive in
magnetic flux in the core (Fig. 7). This half a period and attractive in the other half. If
alternating flux induces a voltage in the ring repulsive and attractive forces were of the same
(Faraday-Lenz’s law). Since the ring is a closed magnitude, the projectile would remain
circuit with low resistance, the induced voltage motionless, or oscillate around a point, due to the
creates a circumferential current in it. The faster balanced resulting effect. A more careful
the magnetic flux changes, the greater is the analysis shows that this does not take place. The
induced current. ring is actually launched, so the resulting effect
cannot be a balanced one. In fact, the repulsive
From this point, every time the induced forces are stronger that the attractive ones,
current is referred, it should be understood as the creating an overall repulsive force.
current resulting from the induced voltage.
6. Other experiments

Many other experiments could be performed

with this apparatus. For instance, making
someone hold the projectile and applying an
alternating current to the coil. The person
holding the projectile will immediately drop it, as
it heats up due the induced currents. This
experiment illustrates the principle of operation
of induction ovens.
Directing the gun upward, applying an
alternating current to the coil and only then
inserting a projectile on it will make the ring
levitate. This results from a balance between the
Figure 7. Induced Current and Magnetic Field force of the magnetic field and gravity force.

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Hands-on Experiments 3rd International Conference on Hands-on Science
© 2006 H-Sci ISBN 989 9509 50 7

7. Conclusions

A device capable of throwing metal rings at a

range of a few meters has been presented. The
physical principles that rule its operation were
briefly introduced. Also, some construction
details have been given. The experiment is very
appropriate to demonstrate Electromagnetism
laws in science fairs and hands-on classes.
Figure 8. Forces between two parallel
conductors 8. References

[1] Famous Electrochemists

http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/electrochemists.htm
[2] Plonus, Martin A.; Applied Electromagnetics.
McGraw-Hill, 1986.
[3] Mendiratta, Sushil Kumar. Introdução ao
Electromagnetismo. Fundação Calouste
Gulbenkian, 1984.
[4] Coilgun Systems
www.coilgun.eclipse.co.uk
[5] Silveira, Fernando Lang da. Explicação
Figure 9. Resulting forces between two rings Qualitativa do “Anel do Thompson”. Como
of the coil Ocorre a “Levitação Magnética”?. Revista
Brasileira de Ensino de Física, vol 25, no. 1,
Março, 2003.

Miniature Thermoelectric Power

Plant

Antonio Moreira, Ricardo Freitas

and João Sena Esteves
Dept. of Industrial Electronics. University
of Minho. Campus of Azurém. 4800-058
GUIMARÃES. Portugal
Figure 10. Resulting force in a ring
[email protected];
[email protected];
[email protected]

Abstract This paper describes a miniature

thermoelectric power plant made with the boiler
and the water pump from an old starch iron. It
also uses a computer cooling fan, which serves
as electric power generator. The boiler vaporizes
the water it receives from the water pump. Then,
the steam is injected over the turbine of the fan
making it twirl. The voltage generated by the fan
is enough to lighten a couple of LEDs. A wooden
case with a chimney encloses all the referred
Figure 11. Resulting forces in a period of time devices.

Keywords. Electrical Power Systems,

Thermoelectric Power Plant.

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