Science

DetlefK

(16,670 posts)

7. A plasma-lightsaber wouldn't work with just one hilt.

Fri May 18, 2012, 08:13 AM

May 2012

A magnetic bottle works by forcing the plasma to flow like spirals in a roughly cylindric volume. At the caps of the cylinder a magnetic field of high strength is needed, with the magnetic lines locally parallel to the axis of the cylinder, to reflect the plasma.

The hilt of the plasma-lightsaber could be one end of the magnetic bottle, but the other end would be open, as the magnetic field there would simply be too weak. Plasma would constantly leak out of your plasma-lightsaber and creating lethal amounts of plasma is technologically a real pain in the ass.

And as the article states, the "bending" is an interference-phenomenon.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

13 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Self-bending light boomerangs [View all] n2doc May 2012 OP

I'll believe it when I have my lightsaber. n/t. ElboRuum May 2012 #1

If you throw it, will it come back? DetlefK May 2012 #2

They do in Lucasarts-licensed video games. laconicsax May 2012 #3

Not in the movies. DetlefK May 2012 #4

Not really what I meant... ElboRuum May 2012 #5

A plasma-lightsaber wouldn't work with just one hilt. DetlefK May 2012 #7

I am basing this on the premise... ElboRuum May 2012 #8

The problem isn't energy. Problem is, you can't build a magnetic bottle with just one magnet. DetlefK May 2012 #10

According to the lightsaber entry on Wookiepedia... laconicsax May 2012 #11

So, it's a scifi-force-field, not a real-world magnetic bottle. DetlefK May 2012 #12

Well the question of what happens when you turn it off is answered in the movies. laconicsax May 2012 #13

Light Sabers! Hawkowl May 2012 #6

No Way! ElboRuum May 2012 #9