From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!houxa!houxi!houxz!ihnp4!ixn5c!inuxc!pur-ee!CSvax:Pucc-H:Physics:crl Newsgroups: net.startrek Title: Re: Star Trek Physics - (nf) Article-I.D.: pur-phy.658 Posted: Fri Jan 28 16:03:17 1983 Received: Tue Feb 1 08:17:43 1983 #R:ariel:-21200:pur-phy:11900002:000:762 pur-phy!crl Jan 28 14:01:00 1983 I really don't feel that it is too important to defend Star Trek "physics", but here is some food for thought nevertheless: On the question of whether the Enterprise should be rocked violently by phaser/disruptor/whatever hits, I believe I recall that the deflector shields are a skin effect. (The gridwork that can be clearly seen on the saucer section is the field generator.) Thus, it is quite plausible to assume that hits on the shield can transfer momentum to the hull. In this case the shields can be likened to the body shield carried by ancient warriors--instead of receiving a killing blow, the major thrust of the attack is spread out to a large part of his/her body. In any case, who cares? Charles LaBrec pur-ee!Physics:crl purdue!Physics:crl