[Unknown Target]

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[Unknown Target]

Originally posted by Stryke 9
UT: You're talking about a standard ramscoop setup. The ICE would be something different, but that's because most people theorizing about it decided it would be simpler to just pump the hydrogen out the back really fast than have to lug around a few tons of reactant.

Stryke, a ramscoop must be accelerated through the air at such a high speed that the compressing air going into the front comes out the back faster than when it went in. The downside to this is that it's hard to get running, and that it can't go in space.

My setup basically REMOVES the fuel tank, because the very matter that the ship is moving thru is it's fuel.

[Stryke 9]

Also, there's not that much hydrogen in space. That's why it's called a vacuum- there's a few trace particles, and about one hydrogen molecule every few yards. Your setup would require a collector about the size of the Sun and a ship about the size of a '73 Volkswagon Bus.

[Unknown Target]

Doubt that. Hold on, I'll go check some sources, you may be right, I admit that, but I don't believe so.

Plus, the gathering % could be increased by magnatizing the molecules + the plating, and sucking it into the ship by means of magnetic propulsion, if that is possible.

Molecular hydrogen is the most abundant molecule in the Universe

Still searching for more, tho.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Falcon X
Hydroflouric acid?  Isn't that a weak electrolyte.  Wouldn't you have to be more conrened with HCl?

HF is technically classified as a weak acid since you only get about 10% disassociation in solution. That means that if you're trying to disolve a metal or make a chemical reaction in as lab HCl is the worst of the acids made by burning halogens.

If you're talking about the effect on you HF is far worse. The problem is that weaker solutions of HF don't burn you immediately. Instead the solution passes through the skin and slowly attacks the body. As the disassociated acid gets used up more of the disolved HF gas disassociates. It can take hours for the burns to appear but by that time the solution can actually have reach deep enough to actually burn the bone.

What's really weird is that the stronger concentrations don't always cause more damage because they burn you immediately so you go straight to the hospital. It's when you spill a weaker solution and let it have hours to work on you that you get the really bad burns.

Told you it was nasty didn't I

[karajorma]

UT what you're refering to sounds very similar to a device know as a Bussard Ramjet. The difference is the BR doesn't burn the hydrogen. Instead it uses it as fuel for a fusion reactor.

Type in Bussard Ramjet into google and you'll get tons of links.

[Unknown Target]

problem with a BR is, also, two things:

1) It's not currently possible (the fusion part) + the intense heat-no metals known to man can withstand it.


2) Radioactivity. It's sitting right behind the crew. What if the ship goes down? Chernoblye over Cape Canaveral.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Stryke 9
Falcon: No. Take a chemistry class.

Don't be mean.  Many people with a degree in chemistry wouldn't be able to tell you why HF was nastier.

I only know cause I studied toxicology as well

[Stryke 9]

I wasn't talking about that, I was referring to his gross misapplication of the Laws of Thermodynamics. If the only heat you got out of a system was what you put in, there's not a single machine on the planet that would be working right now. Particularly since mammals and such (us) would have died out instantly.

[karajorma]

Ah. Okay then

[Unknown Target]

I know heat is not a chemicle. Heat is radiation.

[Carl]

UT, you know those red things on the front of federation starships? that's what you're talking about. problems:

there is only one molicule of hydrogen per square meter in space. that's many many times as thin as the best vaccum we've ever made in a laboratory. if you had a straw that stretched from our solar system to alpha centuri, the matter inside of it wouldn't be enough to fill a coffee cup. even in a nebula, planetary or not, it's still many many times as thin as the best vaccum we've ever made in a laboratory.

[Unknown Target]

No, the thing on the front of a federation starship is to deflect molecules

Hey, I'm still refining it. Maybe it's possible to create a quantum-sized molecule of hydrogen, therefore, two molecules could exist in one place, so basically you'd get 2 for 1.

Still thinking of ideas, tho....

[Carl]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
No, the thing on the front of a federation starship is to deflect molecules

no, you're thinking of the deflector dish. the red things on the front of the nacelles are what i was talking about.

[Unknown Target]

oh, OK, N/M

Why would  they need to gather molecules? According to Star Trek lore, all starships are powered by Matter/Antimatter drives (which, I don't believe, are possible)

[Mr. Vega]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
problem with a BR is, also, two things:

1) It's not currently possible (the fusion part) + the intense heat-no metals known to man can withstand it.


2) Radioactivity. It's sitting right behind the crew. What if the ship goes down? Chernoblye over Cape Canaveral.

1. Extremely powerful magnetic fields (like those found in a Tokamak)

2. Assemble it in space.

[Unknown Target]

1) Are thost possible right noiw?

2) would you like to fly on a ship while sitting on a giant thermonuclear bomb? plus, what if a small collision ruptures the ship? boooom! especially if it accidentally hits a larger ship, or installation.

[Carl]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
Why would  they need to gather molecules? According to Star Trek lore, all starships are powered by Matter/Antimatter drives (which, I don't believe, are possible)

you're asking why a ship that runs on matter and anti-matter would need matter?

[Unknown Target]

well, i dunno where the hell they got it. I always thought they tossed tribbles into the engine or something

[Mr. Vega]

1. Tokamaks try to create nuclear fusion reactions by compressing plasma to a few million degrees, so with some work, yeah.

2. If the ship ruptured the reacton would just shut down, I doubt there would be enough energy or hydrogen for it to explode.