Build a Gauss Rifle Kit

What can you do with magnets and ball bearings that makes a lot of noise? Why, build a magnetic rifle of course! Now, this rifle is not a weapon, but a fun way for you to learn a lot more about physics concepts, like momentum and magnetism. 

With this physics kit, you will see a magnetic field at work and use it to make a Gauss rifle. We’ve included enough neodymium magnets and steel balls to build a four stage Gauss rifle! Try different combinations of magnets and balls to see how the rifle’s final velocity varies.

Instructions for this kit are available online. See below for links to the instructions and more.

You will also need from home:

• Wood glue
• Clear tape
• Plastic shoebox
• Sand, 2 cups
• Tape measure, metric
• A table with room in front of it
• Calculator with a square root function or you can calculate square roots using a free online calculator like ecalc.com

Instructions are NOT included with the kit, but are available online from Science Buddies.

If you have questions about your kit, please see the following FAQ article from Science Buddies:

• Gauss Rifle FAQ

Each Build a Gauss Rifle! kit contains:

• 4 Neodymium magnets
• 10 Nickel-plated steel balls
• 2 Wooden dowels