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MacGyver Season 2 Episode 2 Science Notes: Muscle Car + Paper Clips
What is an EMP?
This is an offensive weapon called an Electromagnetic Pulse (I guess the M is in there too). The idea is to generate a short, but very high intensity electromagnetic wave.
There are all sorts of EMPs, but let’s consider the one that you are mostly likely familiar with-a lightning strike. Have you ever had lightning hit near your house? If you have, you might find that some of your electronic devices no longer work. That sucks, doesn’t it?
Mostly likely what happened was a spike in the electric current in the house. When the lightning strikes, it makes a very large change in magnetic field (associated with the giant current from the bolt). This changing magnetic field can create an electric current.
Check this out. I have a loop of wire and a magnet. As I move the magnet into the loop (or out of it), a current is created.
That’s sort of what happens with your house. But what about the EMP? Same idea-except MORE change in magnetic field. It’s possible to make an EMP that is strong enough to take out the circuits of a bunch of things. Yes, like a plane.
Is it possible to make an EMP that’s handheld? Yes, that’s possible-but it wouldn’t be super strong. Bigger is better.
