Gravity Weaponry: Fact or Fiction?

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter darkxponent
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gravity
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of gravity weaponry, exploring whether it is a feasible technology or purely fictional. Participants examine the differences between gravitational and electric fields, the potential for manipulating gravity, and the implications of such technologies in both present and future contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the feasibility of gravity weapons, comparing gravity to electric fields and suggesting that manipulation may be possible in the future.
  • Another participant argues that the fundamental differences between electric and gravitational forces, such as the absence of negative gravitational charges and the relative weakness of gravity, limit the potential for gravity weapons.
  • A different viewpoint highlights the challenges of controlling gravitational fields, emphasizing that gravitational interactions are significantly weaker than electrical interactions.
  • One participant speculates about the possibility of creating high-density masses to influence Earth's gravitational field, akin to modifying magnetic fields, and inquires about past attempts or theories related to negative masses.
  • Another participant dismisses the idea of gravity weaponry as impractical, suggesting that any attempts to manipulate gravity have been misguided and noting that negative masses are not recognized in mainstream theories.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the feasibility of gravity weapons, with some suggesting potential future applications while others assert significant limitations. There is no consensus on the existence or implications of negative masses.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the nature of gravitational and electric forces, the potential for technological advancements, and the status of negative mass theories, which remain unresolved.

darkxponent
Messages
387
Reaction score
8
I recently watched Superman-Man of Steel. In the movie used some sort of gravity weapon to divert missiles. It also showed one thing they called 'The World Engine' to modify Earth's gravity.

When considering Gravity just another field like Electric field(to which it is very similar to). We do easily can change Electric field of place easily.

So, is that sort of gravoty weapon(modifier) possible in future or in present(might already be in use and not in my knowledge), Or is it just a fiction and remain fiction?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It is a universal law that every aspect of science can and will be used to create some sort of weapon. When it comes to gravity I recon that it won't be used for more than directing missiles and cannon balls.

But to actually get to your question, I think there are two important facts that make electric forces quite different. Even ignoring electrodynamics, the proportionality constant between the electric force and charge is not the (inertial) mass. That is, a charged object resists acceleration due to a parameter that is completely separate from the electric charge. This is not true for gravity. Also, the existence of a negative charge makes control of charged objects quite different.

On top of that, apart from tasers, I don't think there are any "electric" weapons. It would be very difficult to change the Earth's charge in any meaningful way.

My estimate is that there will not be any gravity weapons in the next few centuries. But fear not! As soon as the technology is available, I'm sure we will build black hole missiles that can force any object in the universe to collapse into a black hole.
 
There are a couple of difficulties with controling the gravitational field compared to controling the electric field. The first is that you can use negative electrical charges to cancel the field from positive electric charges, but there are no negative gravitational charges. The other is the strength of the interaction, the gravitational force between two protons is many orders of magnitude smaller than the electrical force between them.
 
Good answers!

I know that the magnitude of gravitational force is much smaller as compared to Electrical Forces, but this is the present situation or say the situation at Earth where we have masses of very less density. I am talking about black holes here, but is it would be possible to design some sort of high density masses with some technology, which can effect the Gravitational Field of Earth, in the similar fashion magnetic field of Earth can be modified easily.

Has someone ever tried to do so, i mean some failed attempts or something?

One more thing which might be off-topic: What about negative masses? Do they have existence in any theory?
 
darkxponent said:
Has someone ever tried to do so, i mean some failed attempts or something?

A thousand misinformed crackpots perhaps. It just doesn't work that way.

One more thing which might be off-topic: What about negative masses? Do they have existence in any theory?

Not in any accepted mainstream theory, no.
 
Thread closed for a bit.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • · Replies 61 ·
3
Replies
61
Views
9K
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
6K
  • Poll Poll
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K