90 replies to this topic

[Rovert10]

A thread where you can debate to your heart's content of the physics or should I say pseudo-science of Halo.

[Defender0]

Ill just start with hardlight since people had a lot to say about it. So ill indulge in some theoretical physics for fun.

What if "hardlight" is not really "light" but supercondensed photons with enough density to have substance? Understanding of course that, at this point the photons would no longer be photons but a version of them that had mass, but that may be the case since, for example, the suppressor fires "projectiles" made of what is thought to be hardlight, which performs like a bullet.

[Emberblaque]

I implied as much in the other thread, but since a lot of talk about photons is about to ensue, it's not mass that causes some matter to occupy volume and other to not. It's not the fact that fermionic matter has mass, it's that it has a half-integer spin. Half-integer spin makes these particles fermions, and the Pauli exclusion principle states that no two fermions can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously, which means they can't occupy the same position.

[Fleet Admiral agigabyte]

Ill just start with hardlight since people had a lot to say about it. So ill indulge in some theoretical physics for fun.

What if "hardlight" is not really "light" but supercondensed photons with enough density to have substance? Understanding of course that, at this point the photons would no longer be photons but a version of them that had mass, but that may be the case since, for example, the suppressor fires "projectiles" made of what is thought to be hardlight, which performs like a bullet.

That makes sense, plus that would also mean that the description about ion-somethings coming from the suppressor is also wrong.

[Defender0]

It isnt even known whether hardlight is made of photons. It could be any highly energized particle, from an electron to an ion

[Fleet Admiral agigabyte]

Randomly changing discussion, how much power would a standard human slipspace drive from 2551 theoretically take? 

[Metanator]

Randomly changing discussion, how much power would a standard human slipspace drive from 2551 theoretically take?

I think the answer you're looking for is a metric fuckton.

On a more serious note, it's hard to tell, seeing as we have no concept of the actual science behind it, although the fact that UNSC ships need fusion reactors large enough to blow up a halo to power them would suggest a stupidly huge amount.

[Moustachio86]

I implied as much in the other thread, but since a lot of talk about photons is about to ensue, it's not mass that causes some matter to occupy volume and other to not. It's not the fact that fermionic matter has mass, it's that it has a half-integer spin. Half-integer spin makes these particles fermions, and the Pauli exclusion principle states that no two fermions can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously, which means they can't occupy the same position.

Ah, I forgot about spin, rookie mistake. Very clearly put, I had assumed until now it was a charge thing. 

 

I'm at this dodgy stage in my education, specifically regarding Physics (incidentally my chosen field thus far) where everything you think you know about Physics is an oversimplification and all the information I'm yet to gain relies on building it up, step by step. Everything builds on everything else. I've just applied for Physics at several Universities (among them Cambridge, fingers crossed) so come back to me in a few years and I may have something approaching an understanding which means I'm worthy of comment, until then I can't really claim to be more knowledgeable than anyone else! 

 

 

 

I remember Carter commented in Halo Reach that a slipspace drive is the most expensive (possibly complicated) piece of a equipment ever made by man. So one presumes that it's also going to take pretty much more energy than has ever been seen before. As Metanator said, it managed to blow a Halo in two, no mean feat.

Also, I love you Aussies. I love how you just confirmed my bigoted belief that you're incapable of quoting an amount without putting a swear word in front of it.  

[Emberblaque]

Ah, I forgot about spin, rookie mistake. Very clearly put, I had assumed until now it was a charge thing.

 

It's best to compare it to angular momentum in classical mechanics, but there is no true classical equivalent to the concept of spin.

[SPECTRE]

Randomly changing discussion, how much power would a standard human slipspace drive from 2551 theoretically take? 

I would say about 70-80% reactor power.

A UNSC reactor is probably more powerful than covenant ones, since they attached a Frigate to an assault carrier to increase power output.

I imagine a covenant slipspace drive is far more efficient, than a UNSC one.

[Aunt Gruntie]

Wouldn't the Covenant ships need a ridiculous amount of power to energize their shields, weapons, and engines?

 

So based on this logic the Covenant would basically have nuclear reactors to the UNSC's steam engines.

[Metanator]

Also, I love you Aussies. I love how you just confirmed my bigoted belief that you're incapable of quoting an amount without putting a swear word in front of it.

It's not that we can't, it's that we prefer not to

[SPECTRE]

Wouldn't the Covenant ships need a ridiculous amount of power to energize their shields, weapons, and engines?

 

So based on this logic the Covenant would basically have nuclear reactors to the UNSC's steam engines.

They can't have much power left over.

I mean look at the SDV class heavy corvette, it doesnt have shields.

[Defender0]

I mean look at the SDV class heavy corvette, it doesnt have shields.

Thats a design decision, the SDV deploys drop pods and fighters often, the shields would get in the way of those small craft and the ship would constantly have to drop its shields and bring them back up, which the reactor would not enjoy.

[SPECTRE]

Thats a design decision, the SDV deploys drop pods and fighters often, the shields would get in the way of those small craft and the ship would constantly have to drop its shields and bring them back up, which the reactor would not enjoy.

The CAS doesn't seem to have that problem.

Look swarms of the buggers!

[Defender0]

The CAS doesn't seem to have that problem.

Look swarms of the buggers!

 

I guarantee you that thing had its shields down at the time. The CAS is also designed with ship to ship combat in mind, while the SDV is not

[SPECTRE]

I guarantee you that thing had its shields down at the time. The CAS is also designed with ship to ship combat in mind, while the SDV is not

Why did they not simply flee when the Savannah appeared?

[Defender0]

Why did they not simply flee when the Savannah appeared?

if you didnt notice, the savannah got raped by the ardent prayer they knew they could win against the frigate

[SPECTRE]

if you didnt notice, the savannah got raped by the ardent prayer they knew they could win against the frigate

Hardly, only because the Savannah could not use its MAC, otherwise it would have gutted the corvette through and through.

[Defender0]

Hardly, only because the Savannah could not use its MAC, otherwise it would have gutted the corvette through and through.

ok, but you do realize this argument is about the ship having shields, and thats mainly due to the fact that, no matter what the ship does, shields will disrupt physical objects (such as drop pods, transports, and fighters) from passing through