A rail gun is a device that consists of two parallel metallic rails of length 1.3 m. At one end the rails are connected via power source. A Copper wire (ρCu = 8.96 g/cm3) of diameter 0.0013 m makes electrical contact and slides without friction across the rails. The rail gun is placed in an uniform magnetic field of strength 1.25 T. The magnetic field lines are perpendicular to the plane of the rails. When triggered the current through the wire is 12000 A.

Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations and Connections
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ISBN:9781133939146
Author:Katz, Debora M.
Publisher:Katz, Debora M.
Chapter31: Gauss’s Law For Magnetism And Ampère’s Law
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A rail gun is a device that consists of two parallel metallic rails of length 1.3 m. At one end the rails are connected via power source. A Copper wire (ρCu = 8.96 g/cm3) of diameter 0.0013 m makes electrical contact and slides without friction across the rails. The rail gun is placed in an uniform magnetic field of strength 1.25 T. The magnetic field lines are perpendicular to the plane of the rails. When triggered the current through the wire is 12000 A.

a. Draw a schematic of this rail gun. Make sure you include all relevant details (like the orientation of the magnetic field with respect to the rails, wire, etc).

b. What is the acceleration of the wire as it moves across the rails? Express your answer using base SI units.

c. What is the final speed of the wire as it leaves the rails?

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