Torpedoes and phasers...

[Centurus]

I've been having a conversation with someone over on DA over torpedoes and phasers from TOS, and how the rest of Trek got the concept of phasers and torpedoes all wrong.

He states that in TOS, the torpedoes were not physical in anyway, instead being pure energy, and therefore the ship had unlimited photon torpedoes.  This would explain why photon torpedoes, when fired, had a flare to them.

He also states how phasers had a proximity setting in TOS, which is true to an extent cause it was referred to in Balance Of Terror, but I think he is implying that phasers were always like that.

I'm just curious, what are the thoughts of people here about this?

[TheConstable6]

I've been having a conversation with someone over on DA over torpedoes and phasers from TOS, and how the rest of Trek got the concept of phasers and torpedoes all wrong.

He states that in TOS, the torpedoes were not physical in anyway, instead being pure energy, and therefore the ship had unlimited photon torpedoes.  This would explain why photon torpedoes, when fired, had a flare to them.

He also states how phasers had a proximity setting in TOS, which is true to an extent cause it was referred to in Balance Of Terror, but I think he is implying that phasers were always like that.

I'm just curious, what are the thoughts of people here about this?

I remember reading some quote about TOS torpedoes...one of the guys who worked on the show described them as being "globs of plasma or whatever"...can't find the quote...

I've always preferred torpedoes as missiles (what the hell is pure energy anyway? How can it be quantified?) and scoff at the notion of explosive particle beams (wouldn't a particle beam, if destabilized prior to making physical contact with an objoec, merely dissipate?)

My 0.02.

[King Class Scout]

I'd invoke Bellesario's Maxim: Don't examine this too closely.

[ACES_HIGH]

it just shows how little scifi screenwriters actually new about physics in the 60s

[Centurus]

I remember reading some quote about TOS torpedoes...one of the guys who worked on the show described them as being "globs of plasma or whatever"...can't find the quote...

I've always preferred torpedoes as missiles (what the hell is pure energy anyway? How can it be quantified?) and scoff at the notion of explosive particle beams (wouldn't a particle beam, if destabilized prior to making physical contact with an objoec, merely dissipate?)

My 0.02.

I know the person you're talking about, and that's Andrew Probert, and I don't think he worked on TOS, but was brought on for TMP.  If I'm wrong and he did work on TOS, could someone let me know?

[ACES_HIGH]

no, your right, he did start with TMP

[majormagna]

I've always preferred torpedoes as missiles (what the hell is pure energy anyway? How can it be quantified?)

Well as Mr Einstein taught us, matter IS energy. So the entire ship is a somehow ordered form of it. (No idea why I said that but meh)

There were also numerousinstances in TOS (and ENT, not sure about other series) where phasers/phase-cannons were used in warp, or almost used (i.e. TMP wormhole) Whereas sometimes it's stated that using phasers in warp is impossible.

In that regard, I have a question; what woud happen to a phaser beam when it reaches the forward edge of a warp field travelling at FTL speeds? Would it dissapate? Reflect? Refract? Or would the energy build up at the front waiting to be expelled when the speed is reduced?

[ACES_HIGH]

well, the most often used explanation is that if the phaser traveled at exactly c, the beam could not be fired as the particles composing it would not be able to accelerate to the speed of light while the emitter is already traveling at FTL speeds.  Whereas, if the beam traveled at just below the speed of light, the beam could accelerate relative to the ship, and it would fire normally.  I don't remember the exact physics involved, but it has to do with the Theory of Relativity.

[majormagna]

Well yes, but the ship is surrounded by a bubble of 'normal space'. As we know, from relativity, nothing can travel faster than lightspeed, so warp must break relativity in some way, either that, scientists increased the speed of light in 2208, or relativity was disproven.

[mckinneyc]

But I think the way they got around firing phasers at warp was the beam was encased in a warp field or confinment beam.

[FarShot]

Warp fields were able to be extended, albeit temporarily, in order to encase other ships.  Perhaps all those battles occurred within enlarged warp fields.

[mckinneyc]

Phasers fire fairly rapidly in combat so I don't see why the warp field couldn't be extend around a phaser beam for a few seconds

[Shadowknight1]

scientists increased the speed of light in 2208

[eclipse74569]

Actually the way the Warp field works is it distorts normal space...I can't remember what goes on after that LOL too tired!

[Nebula]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive <====

[eclipse74569]

yeah...ThAT!

[CyAn1d3]

i got a headache reading that...

[deadthunder2_0]

I haven't taken Trig or Calc or Physics yet... I barley understand it

[CyAn1d3]

i took trig... and it just blurrrrrrred to me.
too many theoretical values.

[captain_obvious]

Let it always be remembered that warp drive was invented in my home-town xD