Hypermatter's insane energy density

[Vultur]

Hypermatter must be really insane stuff. If the Death Star puts out 1 x 10^38 joules (according to the main site)... that's the annihilation energy of roughly 1.1 x 10^18 metric tons (1.1 x 10^21 kilograms) of matter! That's slightly more than the mass of Ceres (a little short of 10^21 kilograms), which is far bigger than the first Death Star. So if hypermatter converts 100% of its mass to energy, the DS would mass an obscene amount to carry fuel to power multiple shots. So, hypermatter probably releases more energy than complete annihilation of its mass! Is that even theoretically possible?

[Wyrm]

Not if hypermatter was some kind of otherwise normal matter, completely describable with our ordinary physics, adhering to ordinary notions of mass and energy, no. However, hypermatter is not ordinary matter, not describable with ordinary physics (given that it may have more utility in SW stardrives than being merely a power source), and may not even adhere to ordinary notions of mass and energy.

See the loophole the really bitching power of the DS slips through?

[Stark]

Yeah, Dr Saxton's presentation of hypermatter is pretty fun stuff.

Frankly people who ask this shit have missed the point of science fiction. We saw them do something, so we know it can be done. Slapping your forehead and saying OMG IMPOSSIBLE doesn't explain jack shit and is at best an argument from incredulity.

[Ender]

Hypermatter must be really insane stuff. If the Death Star puts out 1 x 10^38 joules (according to the main site)... that's the annihilation energy of roughly 1.1 x 10^18 metric tons (1.1 x 10^21 kilograms) of matter! That's slightly more than the mass of Ceres (a little short of 10^21 kilograms), which is far bigger than the first Death Star. So if hypermatter converts 100% of its mass to energy, the DS would mass an obscene amount to carry fuel to power multiple shots. So, hypermatter probably releases more energy than complete annihilation of its mass! Is that even theoretically possible?

It may or may not have a higher energy density than e=mc^2 would dictate. Stats as presented in the ROTS ICS make me believe it does follow e=mc^2 at least. But yes, it is possible for regular matter to hold more energy then its equivalent rest-mass. Have it moving relativistically. Now Bremmstrahlung and gyroscopic effects mean this is unlikely the case here, but it is possible.

[Connor MacLeod]

It may or may not have a higher energy density than e=mc^2 would dictate. Stats as presented in the ROTS ICS make me believe it does follow e=mc^2 at least.

That was the intention at least, I believe, yeah.

But yes, it is possible for regular matter to hold more energy then its equivalent rest-mass. Have it moving relativistically. Now Bremmstrahlung and gyroscopic effects mean this is unlikely the case here, but it is possible.

If it is its probably "drawing" energy from some other source (we know the Force eexists, so we're not exactly making shit up as far as "magical energy dimensions" go I suppose) and the hypermatter acts as a catalyst of some kind (it could still be an annihilation reaction, it just uses that energy to tap more energy from another source.. kinda like how that Naq stuff in Stargate might work to "boost" energy outputs.) Alot of sources (the novel Death Star, Rogue Planet, ,a few other sourcecs mentioning hypermatter reactors) seem to imply that the reactors can run on very little fuel (and there's the old ICS cutaway of the Death Star that shows no major fuel tanks.)

Personally I tend to favor the idea that it taps teh energy from another source, since one can face problems with storing all the needed fuel inside the ship to operate at the canon power levels for hours on end. Especially when it comes to the Death star (and all the means you need to negate all those unpleasant side effects as well...)

[Guardsman Bass]

I kind of like Saxton's appendice about how Hypermatter might basically be tachyonic matter which they've somehow figured out how to tap for energy purposes.

Which makes me wonder - if hypermatter were tachyonic, and its tendency were to accelerate towards infinite speed, could they somehow figure out how to get some of the kinetic energy out of that?

[Ryushikaze]

I kind of like Saxton's appendice about how Hypermatter might basically be tachyonic matter which they've somehow figured out how to tap for energy purposes.

Which makes me wonder - if hypermatter were tachyonic, and its tendency were to accelerate towards infinite speed, could they somehow figure out how to get some of the kinetic energy out of that?

I think that's what Wyrm was referring to when he said it 'may have more utility in SW stardrives than being merely a power source', which I think is more than just speculation, since wasn't the Jedi Fighter ring described as having Hypermatter Ballast in it as well?

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

Which makes me wonder - if hypermatter were tachyonic, and its tendency were to accelerate towards infinite speed, could they somehow figure out how to get some of the kinetic energy out of that?

In the same way you can get some of the kinetic energy out of matter as it accelerates towards 0 velocity, it's potentially possible. Remember, though, that even though it is attaining higher velocity, it is losing energy in this way, so not only do you not get more and more energy, you don't even have a perpetual motion device (in the traditional sense).

[Vultur]

Yeah, Dr Saxton's presentation of hypermatter is pretty fun stuff.

Frankly people who ask this shit have missed the point of science fiction. We saw them do something, so we know it can be done. Slapping your forehead and saying OMG IMPOSSIBLE doesn't explain jack shit and is at best an argument from incredulity.

Sorry if I wasn't clear - I wasn't arguing that the DS isn't that powerful, just pointing out how incredible that fuel must be.