Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dartvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!dartvax!raiche From: raiche@dartvax.UUCP (George A. Raiche) Newsgroups: net.startrek Subject: Re: A new question Message-ID: <2604@dartvax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 1-Dec-84 00:14:36 EST Article-I.D.: dartvax.2604 Posted: Sat Dec 1 00:14:36 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 06:08:53 EST References: <140@nybcb.UUCP> <2556@dartvax.UUCP> <423@wlcrjs.UUCP> Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Lines: 38 > In order to fire thru the deflectors one of two conditions must exist: > > 1) The deflector sheilds are one way force fields, kind of an > electronic (gravitic) half-silvered mirror. > *************************** This might be a good time for a "Phasers vs Deflectors and Interstellar Multidimensional Warfare" review article. Unfortunately this is finals time at Dartmouth. Maybe in a few days... But I couldn't let this pass. A one-way mirror is only one-way if you're on the dark side of the mirror. Picture a one-way mirror separating witnesses from suspects on any police show. Recall that the witness is always sitting in the dark, while the crooks are well-lighted. Now if suddenly the lights in the crook's room went out and the lights in the witness' room came on, the witness would fimd him/herself staring at his/her own reflection in that mirror, while the crook would be memorizing the stoolie's face. Now imagine that instead of a crook, it's a Klingon battle cruiser. He'd be firing at you (sitting behind the one-way mirror) but his photons are just bouncing off your mirror. (But what happens to the momentum of the photons?) Then with a smile on your face you'd lift your zillion-watt phaser to your shoulder, aim at the Klingon through the mirror, and fire. Ten nanoseconds later, you'd wish you hadn't done that. George Raiche Dept. of Chemistry Dartmouth "I believe that is the recommended amount, Captain."