Can Magnets Curve A Bullet?
Why Worldbuilding Stack Exchange recommends it
Worldbuilding Stack Exchange answerers link it when someone asks whether magnets can deflect, catch, or stop bullets, arrows, or other projectiles, as a real-world data point.
Recommended by 0 people across 0 different months, 2018 to 2021.
What it is
A short explainer from magnet retailer K&J Magnetics testing whether very powerful neodymium magnets can bend the path of a fired bullet. It summarizes earlier attempts such as the MythBusters test and shows what actually happens when a projectile passes near strong magnets.
What people said
Cites chasly - supports Monica · 2018-12 · Worldbuilding Stack Exchange · on “Material for weapons and tools in a magnetic field”
Use whatever materials you want : As you say: The iron would be attracted by the ground The thing is that arrows already are attracted to the ground - by gravity. You have to ask just how strong this magnetic field must be to noticeably deflect arrows. Some experiments have been done on this with bullets including by the Mythbusters but they used non-ferrous ammunition. The following video however shows an experiment with a powerful neodymium magnet and a steel ball from a low-powered air rifle. There is some deflection but they fire very close to the magnet and I don't suppose your landscape is made of neodymium. [this video] Firing near a the world's most powerful MRI machine that has a 45-ton
Cites StephenG - Help Ukraine · 2020-05 · Worldbuilding Stack Exchange · on “Could one use electricity to divert bullets?”
Bullets are made of materials that are not affected by magnetic fields much. This video [this video] shows steel pellets being deflected by a strong magnet, but those aren't normal bullets and are a lot slower than normal bullets.
Cites Gillgamesh · 2021-11 · Worldbuilding Stack Exchange · on “Is it possible for a magnet to catch a bullet after it is fired?”
short question, short answer: Mythbusters! [this video] Can a magnet curve the path of a bullet? We sell some incredibly powerful magnets. If a really powerful magnet was placed near the path of a bullet, could it curve the bullet's path? Is it possible? Previous Research This question has been asked a number of times, both on television and the Internet. Mythbusters investigated it in episode 95, one of their James Bond specials. They fired a bullet above a series of magnets to see if they could alter the bullet’s path. Their test made a bullet tumble end over end, but didn’t change the path much at all. There’s also some debate on the Internet about how Magneto stopped a bullet in the original