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The U.S. Navy has tested a railgun that shot a 7 pound projectile traveling seven times the speed of sound, sending a visible shockwave through the air <ref>[http://www.nswc.navy.mil/ET/railgun/index.html U.S. Navy: Electromagnetic Railgun]</ref>
The U.S. Navy has tested a railgun that shot a 7 pound projectile traveling seven times the speed of sound, sending a visible shockwave through the air <ref>[http://www.nswc.navy.mil/ET/railgun/index.html U.S. Navy: Electromagnetic Railgun]</ref>
The Railgun should not be confused with the coilgun, also known as the Guass gun, a weapon that works by generating an electromagnetic field using coils external to the barrel, and using a projectile that is contactless with the firing mechanism (the coils).
The Railgun should not be confused with the coilgun, also known as the Gauss gun, a weapon that works by generating an electromagnetic field using coils external to the barrel, and using a projectile that is contactless with the firing mechanism (the coils).
Current problems with railguns are power generation and barrel life. Railguns require large amounts of power to work in the first place. They also go through barrels quickly because of the extreme temperatures inside the barrel. Railguns currently only exist as prototypes and in science fiction.
Current problems with railguns are power generation and barrel life. Railguns require large amounts of power to work in the first place. They also go through barrels quickly because of the extreme temperatures inside the barrel. Railguns currently only exist as prototypes and in science fiction.