EMP Launcher v2
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Demonstration , Engineering , Experiment , Investigation , Physics , Secondary
An explosive tour into the fascinating world of capacitors with an electrifying finale.
Director's Notes:
The Tinkerers took part last year, submitting a film of their original EMP Launcher, which earned them nominations in the Engineering and Technical & Artistic Achievement categories.
They year they’re back, with an even better electromagnetic pulse launcher. They wrote this:
This experiment was setup with the expert guidance of our physics technician. The home-made capacitor is very easy to make, using sheets of tin foil and a bin bag. The EMP launcher however, is more complex, to make it is a closely guarded secret, but the innards involve 6 large capacitors, and a capacitor discharge unit, which quickly releases lots of electrical energy into a coil creating an electromagnetic field.
SciCast Notes:
Yay! I loved this group’s work last year, and it’s terrific to have them back with a new, improved EMP launcher, and a new, also improved film.
Lots of good science and electrical engineering in this, particularly about capacitors. I’d love to know more about the launcher itself, but perhaps it’s good that I don’t — I might be tempted to try making one, and that’s likely to be lethal.
Good camerawork, good music choice, and a terrific project — great work guys, lovely to have you back!
— Jonathan