phasers causing explosions

[stitch626]

How does that work? Several times, we've seen a phaser hit cause an explosion on the outside of a ship. I can't understand how a directed energy weapon would cause an explosion on the hull of a ship.

[Lighthawk]

Rapid thermal expansion would be my guess, if you mean a hit on the hull. If you mean against a shield, I'd say it's a disruption in the structure of the shield which releases a burst of the shield's energy. Pure guesswork there though.

[stitch626]

Any guess is good.

Another question, why whenever any part of the ship is hit do consoles explode? I mean IU.

[Sonic Glitch]

i believe..

[Lighthawk]

Any guess is good.

Another question, why whenever any part of the ship is hit do consoles explode? I mean IU.

IU? Shit...uh...

1) The surge protector went extinct during WWIII
2) It's a sick joke on the part of Q
3) Impacts on the shields cause an EMP effect, and the thinness of the consoles mean they have the least amount of shielding against the pulse.
4) Impacts on the hull disrupt the proper containment of plasma within the energy transfer system, and sometimes that plasma leak shoots up into the consoles.

[Reliant121]

I'd always figured that the energy conduits that I imagine to be literally everywhere in the ship were sort the path of least resistance for the energy and just travelled down them eventually leading to the death of Ensign Sue, or Yeoman Vicky or something.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Part of the energy leaks through.

Also, rule of cool and drama.

[Mikey]

It's a purely OOU effect. Technically, there shouldn't be any visible explosion at all unless there was a concurrent venting of interior atmosphere.

I think, though, it's easiest on one's brain to go with the old standby - plasma leaks.

[Tyyr]

It's a case of reality not being dramatic enough.

BZZT
"Phasers not responding captain."
BZZT
"Helm not responding captain."

Isn't as dramtic as having the respective consoles blow the fuck up then say the weapons aren't working.

[McAvoy]

The only idea I can think of how and why phasers explode on contact is perhaps of how the energy of the phaser interacts with material it's hitting. Look at today's lasers they do spark and flash when hitting something, usually metal.

As far as exploding consoles, my best guess is that engineers thought it would be funny to replace surge protectors with C-4.

What I would like to know is how or why in the Dominion War energy weapons cause a disengrating or 'eating away' effect on ships.

[Mikey]

What I would like to know is how or why in the Dominion War energy weapons cause a disengrating or 'eating away' effect on ships.

Well, that's exactly what my phased polaron beams do in my garage.

[stitch626]

What I would like to know is how or why in the Dominion War energy weapons cause a disengrating or 'eating away' effect on ships.

Like the top of that Excelsior that looked like is rusted in seconds?

[Tsukiyumi]

What I would like to know is how or why in the Dominion War energy weapons cause a disengrating or 'eating away' effect on ships.

Well, that's exactly what my phased polaron beams do in my garage.

[Graham Kennedy]

Phasers can even explode without hitting anything...

[Deepcrush]

Oh TOS and your warhead like phasers...