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Magnetic Accelerator Cannon: Difference between revisions
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===Ammunition=== | ===Ammunition=== | ||
A standard ship-based MAC fires slugs of either ferric [[tungsten]] or depleted uranium at around | A standard ship-based MAC fires slugs of either ferric [[tungsten]] or depleted uranium at around 40% the speed of light. The high muzzle speed gives the 600-ton slug the kinetic energy and momentum necessary to damage a target and partially mitigates the unguided nature of the slug and its lack of maneuverability. [[ODP|Orbital Defense Platforms]] fire a 3,000-ton slug at nearly 50% of the [[Wikipedia:Speed of light|speed of light]], around 150,000km per second, which is capable of piercing multiple obstacles before fully stopping the projectile, if needed. | ||
===Aiming=== | ===Aiming=== | ||
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===Firing=== | ===Firing=== | ||
The firing process uses [[wikipedia:Electromagnetism|electromagnetism]] to fire a ferromagnetic-tungsten slug at high velocity. An extremely large amount of current is put through the first solenoid (coil of conducting wire) which creates a strong magnetic field which attracts the metal slug. As the slug passes into the solenoid, the solenoid is quickly turned off and the second solenoid, which is further up, turns on, which attracts the now high velocity metal slug just like the first solenoid, and the process is carried on. By the time the slug is fired out the end of the barrel it has been accelerated to a speed of approximately | The firing process uses [[wikipedia:Electromagnetism|electromagnetism]] to fire a ferromagnetic-tungsten slug at high velocity. An extremely large amount of current is put through the first solenoid (coil of conducting wire) which creates a strong magnetic field which attracts the metal slug. As the slug passes into the solenoid, the solenoid is quickly turned off and the second solenoid, which is further up, turns on, which attracts the now high velocity metal slug just like the first solenoid, and the process is carried on. By the time the slug is fired out the end of the barrel it has been accelerated to a speed of approximately 120,000 kilometers per second for ship-based MAC and around 150,000 kilometers per second for "Super" MAC. At the same time, a pair of thrusters on the bottom side of the station fire for a couple of seconds to counteract the acceleration imparted to the station. It normally takes five seconds to recharge the capacitors as well as load the slug, which is why boarding craft have to be deployed to take the stations out. | ||
==Types== | ==Types== | ||
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A UNSC Defense Platform typically mounts larger and more powerful version of the standard Magnetic Accelerator Cannon, nicknamed ''"Super"'' MACs or the ''"big stick"''. | A UNSC Defense Platform typically mounts larger and more powerful version of the standard Magnetic Accelerator Cannon, nicknamed ''"Super"'' MACs or the ''"big stick"''. | ||
These cannons fire a 3000-ton ferric-tungsten round at nearly | These cannons fire a 3000-ton ferric-tungsten round at nearly 50% the speed of light, impacting with a massive amount of relativistic kinetic energy, which at 50% of the speed of light is of equal energy to 9.98 teratons of [[wikipedia:Trinitrotoluene|TNT]]. No known ship, UNSC or Covenant, has been shown to survive the impact of one of these rounds. Against Covenant shield technology, the rounds possess enough kinetic energy to punch through shields, cut through the ship, and, upon exit, still retain enough energy to cripple or destroy a second ship. | ||
It is theorized that if a ship's armor or shields were to absorb all the kinetic energy of a MAC round, the release of thermodynamic energy would still vaporize the ship. By receiving power from [[Orbital Defense Generator|ground-based power plants]], orbital platforms could achieve recharge and reload times as short as five seconds.<ref group="notes">Using Ek=½mv2 | It is theorized that if a ship's armor or shields were to absorb all the kinetic energy of a MAC round, the release of thermodynamic energy would still vaporize the ship. By receiving power from [[Orbital Defense Generator|ground-based power plants]], orbital platforms could achieve recharge and reload times as short as five seconds.<ref group="notes">Using Ek=½mv2 | ||
Ek=(0. | Ek=(0.5)(600,000)(119,040,000) | ||
The amount of kinetic energy from a regular MAC round weighing 600 tons (600,000kg) and travelling at 40% the speed of light: | The amount of kinetic energy from a regular MAC round weighing 600 tons (600,000kg) and travelling at 40% the speed of light: | ||
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*The Magnetic Accelerator Cannon is twice mistakenly referred to as the "Mass Accelerator Cannon" in the [[Halo Universe]] - in ''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', and in ''[[Halo Wars]]'', in which it is referred to as a "Mass ''Accelerated'' Cannon", which seems to be a simple typo as it does not make sense grammatically. It may be a confusion between the MAC and the [[Mass Driver]], a non-military application of similar technologies. | *The Magnetic Accelerator Cannon is twice mistakenly referred to as the "Mass Accelerator Cannon" in the [[Halo Universe]] - in ''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', and in ''[[Halo Wars]]'', in which it is referred to as a "Mass ''Accelerated'' Cannon", which seems to be a simple typo as it does not make sense grammatically. It may be a confusion between the MAC and the [[Mass Driver]], a non-military application of similar technologies. | ||
*The colony ship-turned-warship [[UNSC Spirit of Fire]]'s MAC cannon is revealed to be unable to penetrate a [[Citadel (Covenant)|Citadel]]'s [[Shield Generator (Covenant)|shield]] in ''[[Halo Wars]]'' in one hit. This might be the result of a weaker, earlier version of the Cannon, or that the Shield is very powerful. It is likely though that the ''Spirit of Fire'', being a colony ship refitted for battle, had a weaker MAC gun. Another possiblility is that since its MAC gun was designed for ground support and not ship-to-ship engagements, it may fire lighter MAC rounds, as normal sized rounds would be too powerful and would cause friendly causualties. This also could explain why the cannon could fire so many shots in quick succesion. Alternatively, it may only be for gameplay purposes. Or most likely because the round loses its mass as it travels through the atmosphere from orbit. | *The colony ship-turned-warship [[UNSC Spirit of Fire]]'s MAC cannon is revealed to be unable to penetrate a [[Citadel (Covenant)|Citadel]]'s [[Shield Generator (Covenant)|shield]] in ''[[Halo Wars]]'' in one hit. This might be the result of a weaker, earlier version of the Cannon, or that the Shield is very powerful. It is likely though that the ''Spirit of Fire'', being a colony ship refitted for battle, had a weaker MAC gun. Another possiblility is that since its MAC gun was designed for ground support and not ship-to-ship engagements, it may fire lighter MAC rounds, as normal sized rounds would be too powerful and would cause friendly causualties. This also could explain why the cannon could fire so many shots in quick succesion. Alternatively, it may only be for gameplay purposes. Or most likely because the round loses its mass as it travels through the atmosphere from orbit. | ||
*According to calculations, the total impact force of a MAC round weighing 600 tonnes and traveling at . | *According to calculations, the total impact force of a MAC round weighing 600 tonnes and traveling at .49''c'' is more than 88 trillion Newtons. To put this in perspective, 686 Newtons is the force exerted on you by Earth's gravitational pull. | ||
*In [[Halo Wars]], it is possible to obliterate half of a Hunter's body by hitting it directly with a MAC round. The Hunter's bottom half will remain-surrounded by [[Blood|blood]], while the top half (where you hit it) is gone. | *In [[Halo Wars]], it is possible to obliterate half of a Hunter's body by hitting it directly with a MAC round. The Hunter's bottom half will remain-surrounded by [[Blood|blood]], while the top half (where you hit it) is gone. | ||