Can the Casimir Effect be Used to Create a Reactionless Drive?

[Mentz114]

A technologist friend, on learning about the Casimir force and energy, immediately designed a reactionless drive based on the Casimir cell ( see pic).

(This is useful - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_effect)

The cancellation of vacuum energy in the cell, by his reasoning would be like negative energy and thus have a mass -E/c^2. In other words, the assembled parts would have less mass than the unassembled parts. Also by varying the separation, he reasoned he could change the mass, and thus by spinning two cells ( or more) and varying their masses appropriately, a reactionless force would appear.

Obviously this is false, but why ? If the canceled energy does not have equivalent mass there's no problem. But if it does we're in trouble.

Eventually I came up with this counter-argument. The more energy is cancelled, the greater the pressure on the separators. This means the potential energy in the separators has increased. If it increases by the same magnitude as the canceled energy we are home and dry. There's no nett change in mass.

So we can conclude

a) if the canceled energy in the cell decreases the mass, then the energy in the separators must contribute the same amount back

b) neither the canceled energy nor the potential energy add or reduce the mass.

Any thoughts ?

 

[AndyW]

I appreciate your friend's creative thinking and enthusiasm for exploring new technologies. However, I must point out that the concept of a reactionless drive based on the Casimir effect is not scientifically feasible.

Firstly, the Casimir effect is a well-known phenomenon in quantum physics, where it describes the attractive force between two uncharged conductive plates in a vacuum. This force is a result of the fluctuations in the electromagnetic field between the plates. It is not a source of energy, but rather a manifestation of the fundamental laws of physics.

Your friend's idea of using the Casimir effect to create a reactionless drive relies on the assumption that the cancellation of vacuum energy in the cell would result in negative mass. This is not supported by any scientific evidence. In fact, the concept of negative mass is purely theoretical and has not been observed in nature.

Moreover, the idea of varying the separation between two cells to change their mass and create a reactionless force is also not scientifically sound. Mass is a fundamental property of matter and cannot be altered by simply changing the distance between objects.

Your counter-argument about the potential energy in the separators is also flawed. The potential energy in the separators is a result of the work done to create the Casimir cell, and it does not contribute to the mass of the system.

In conclusion, while your friend's idea may seem intriguing, it is not supported by scientific principles. As scientists, it is important to approach new ideas with critical thinking and careful analysis before making any claims about their feasibility. I hope this helps clarify any doubts you may have.

 

[sir-pinski]

The Casimir effect is a well-documented phenomenon in quantum physics, where two uncharged parallel plates in a vacuum experience an attractive force due to the energy fluctuations of the vacuum. This force, known as the Casimir force, has been studied extensively and has been observed in various experiments.

However, the idea of using the Casimir effect to create a reactionless drive is not a viable solution. While it may seem logical that the cancellation of vacuum energy in the Casimir cell would result in negative energy and thus a decrease in mass, this is not the case.

Firstly, the Casimir effect is a very small force and is only observable in very small distances, typically on the scale of nanometers. This means that the mass change would also be extremely small and would not be significant enough to create a reactionless force.

Secondly, the cancellation of energy in the Casimir cell does not result in negative energy. It is simply a result of the energy fluctuations in the vacuum being different between the inside and outside of the cell. Thus, there is no change in mass due to this cancellation.

Your counter-argument is also valid in that the potential energy in the separators would increase as the energy is cancelled, but this does not result in a change in mass either. The potential energy in the separators is not equivalent to the mass of the system.

In conclusion, while the Casimir effect is an interesting and well-studied phenomenon, it cannot be used to create a reactionless drive or result in a change in mass. It is important to approach scientific concepts and theories with critical thinking and not jump to conclusions based on limited understanding.