New article on Inoreader

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfdNM3NAhaBOXCafH7krzrAHow does a RAILGUIN, the US Navy’s most powerful cannon, actually work? -

How does a railgun, the US Navy’s most powerful cannon, actually work?

The key difference between a railgun and regular cannons is that a railgun uses electricity to fire its projectiles rather than chemical propellants, such as traditional gunpowder.

Magnetic fields generated by high electrical currents slide a metal conductor carrying a projectile down a set of rails, one charged positively and the other charged negatively - hence, railgun - from 4500 to 5600 miles per hour, launching the projectile at incredible speeds.

Rather than your typical explosive payloads, the 25-pound metal projectile fired by a railgun does its devastating damage with sheer kinetic force, like a giant dart. The weapon takes around 32 megajoules of energy just to fire.

It has the major advantage of better safety for naval operators, due to not using volatile explosive material, but does tend to wear down significantly with use.