Dmon Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 http://www.livescience.com/technology/060308_sandia_z.htmlhttp://www.sandia.gov/news-center/news-releases/2004/images/jpg/z-machine.jpgfreaky ass shit :|The Z Machine is now able to propel small plates at 34 kilometers a second, faster than the 30 kilometers per second that Earth travels through space in its orbit about the Sun. That's 50 times faster than a rifle bullet, and three times the velocity needed to escape Earth's gravitational field.The ultra-tiny aluminum plates, just 850 microns thick, are accelerated at 1010 g. One g is the force of Earth's gravity. Doing so without vaporizing the plates was possible because of the finer control now achievable of the magnetic field pulse that drives the flight.Z's hurled plates strike a target after traveling only five millimeters, or less than a quarter-inch. The impact generates a shock wave -- in some cases, reaching 15 million times atmospheric pressure -- that passes through the target material. The waves are so powerful that they turn solids into liquids, liquids into gases, and gases into plasmas in the same way that heat melts ice to water or boils water into steam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1c3d0g Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 I love this type of science, they always find interesting stuff, but I'm unsure what it has to do with "tinfoil hats"... :| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodStaindHurricane Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 cool...but, same here...tinfoil hats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Buzzard Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 Right, but how soon before they put a pistol-grip on one? I want my railgun, damnit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaosblade Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 O_o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splintax Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Obviously, they're firing miniature tin-foil hats. "The ultra-tiny aluminum plates.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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