Smart Phasers and Dead Switches

Discussion in 'Trek Tech' started by Timelord Victorious, Sep 2, 2014.

  1. CuttingEdge100

    CuttingEdge100 Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2005
    If I do my math that's a yield of 8.673 kilotons of TNT... I could be off by a few digits but

    You'd think you'd see a huge explosion...
     
  2. Ithekro

    Ithekro Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2012
    Location:
    Republic of California
    If there was a huge explosion it would not be a safe weapon to use like that for Starfleet personel, who seem to use phasers at walls of rock only a few meeters away from themselves. A huge explosion would probably stop use of a phaser for such a task at any easy to see range.

    Though that does make one wonder about ship's phasers or the phaser cannon used in The Cage.
     
  3. Timo

    Timo Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2003
    Even that "field piece" or "industrial drill" seemed to be safe for use at short ranges with minimal precautions (goggles!).

    And when the space jellyfish bombarded the Bandi Old Town in "Farpoint", Yar and Data commented that it felt much like standard phaser bombardment. Essentially, what they experienced (when moving back to the surface, and at ranges of a city block or less) was pressure waves that shook things up a bit, but no heat blast, no shrapnel, and no weird radiation effects or the like. When in later episodes the E-D uses her main phasers for drilling, the process seems very gentle and creates few if any secondary effects in the immediate vicinity.

    Timo Saloniemi