Thread: Resonance Weapon?

Now, I'm sure you've all heard of or seen a glass being smashed with resonance- the resonance of the glass is matched to the resonator, which is then 'turned-up' causing the top of the glass to wobble and then smash...

So, I was wondering if you could match the resonance of any material and cuase any material to crumble to pieces. The weapon could find the resonance of the target and intensify it causing it to break. I'm not sure if this would work, probably not, but if it could- the applications would be extraordinary. Any object could be destroyed with a weapon like this. Obviously, you would need a more complex weapon for a structure with multiple materials of different resonance- you'd have to resonate the structure layer by layer...

So, would this work? I highly doubt it myself, otherwise there would already be weapons like this...

Originally Posted by x(x-y)

I highly doubt [resonance weapons would work] myself, otherwise there would already be weapons like this...

Humans are amazing creatures of habit, and this includes their beliefs about what is possible; however, once a new technology is invented and proves itself, people then readily accept it as "obvious".

So, there's your perfectly reasonable idea of a resonance weapon, which seems only to need a new technology, or a current technology used differently.

Or consider several emitters producing various frequencies at particular phase shifts that combine at the target (ie, a building, a wall, a tank, etc) to produce strong enough over-pressures to disrupt it, known it down, or bore a hole through it.

Sometimes creating a crazy idea, and then taming it down a bit, results in a useful technology/invention. Don't ever doubt the usefulness of a crazy idea.

Check this out: An acoustic cannon

Thank you!

I suppose something like this would need a new generation of advanced technology in order to allow it to function properly...

Originally Posted by jrmonroe

Check this out: An acoustic cannon

Interesting. It looks like he's solved the problem of how to make the sound focus at exactly one point, at least.

Now, we have to solve the problem of how to determine the correct resonant frequency for every material, and devising a battery that can store the amount of energy that corresponds to the "chemical energy of deformation" (amount of energy required to break) of the target(s) to be destroyed.

I don't see it really serving as a great anti-armor weapon (because of the high chemical energy of deformation, and probably very high resonant frequencies), but maybe a cave destroyer or bunker buster, if you can get the Earth/Stone to start vibrating violently enough to cause a collapse.

Originally Posted by kojax

Originally Posted by jrmonroe

Check this out: An acoustic cannon

Interesting. It looks like he's solved the problem of how to make the sound focus at exactly one point, at least.

Now, we have to solve the problem of how to determine the correct resonant frequency for every material, and devising a battery that can store the amount of energy that corresponds to the "chemical energy of deformation" (amount of energy required to break) of the target(s) to be destroyed.

I don't see it really serving as a great anti-armor weapon (because of the high chemical energy of deformation, and probably very high resonant frequencies), but maybe a cave destroyer or bunker buster, if you can get the Earth/Stone to start vibrating violently enough to cause a collapse.

Yes, I suppose you're correct.

It would be used mostly for destroying structures such as important enemy buildings etc...

If you had enough energy, you could feasibly use seismic waves to disrupt entire bases (basically it'd be an earthquake machine with the capability of adjusting to specific frequencies or bands of frequencies that affect things like concrete).

so since this is all theoretical anyway, could someone just devise a mechanisam that sends a resonance wave, like a ray. If this can be done then all that you would need to do from there is set the frequency really high, right? I mean if all it takes is going higher than what a particular material can withstand then if its set high enough then it could break anything, yes? Now with our limited technology it might have to be a massive weapon first, like the size of a tank. But it could still have practical applications on millitary bases, and possibly navel ships. But again, theoretical. So say one could get the "power pack" small enough to be the size of say a back pack, then it could be a practical weapon for infantry.

This design would be very similar to the old flamethrower design, where the user carried the fuel in a pack on their back.

Originally Posted by biohazard87

so since this is all theoretical anyway, could someone just devise a mechanisam that sends a resonance wave, like a ray. If this can be done then all that you would need to do from there is set the frequency really high, right?

Actually, the frequency decides what it can resonate with. Set it too high, and the sounds would just bounce off, or stop at the surface. Lower frequencies are what you're after mostly, because they can permeate the entire substance and make it all shake together.

The destructive power comes from the amplitude of the wave. (Its height, rather than its length.)

I mean if all it takes is going higher than what a particular material can withstand then if its set high enough then it could break anything, yes?

It has to be an integer multiple of the receiving object's fundamental resonating frequency. In the case of breaking a glass with your voice, if the pitch of your singing is higher than its resonating frequency it wouldn't break. It's only when you're dead on, or very close. (That's why dog whistles don't break glasses.)

Now with our limited technology it might have to be a massive weapon first, like the size of a tank. But it could still have practical applications on millitary bases, and possibly navel ships. But again, theoretical. So say one could get the "power pack" small enough to be the size of say a back pack, then it could be a practical weapon for infantry.

This design would be very similar to the old flamethrower design, where the user carried the fuel in a pack on their back.

That would be interesting. I don't think it would penetrate tank armor, or anything, but it might be able to hit soldiers who are hiding behind cover, and cause them great discomfort, even if they don't die.

Actually... this has been tried on a limited level. Google "sonic weapon pirates" and you'll get a lot of articles.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/te...se-blast_x.htm

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009...n-high-tech-w/

Originally Posted by kojax

That would be interesting. I don't think it would penetrate tank armor, or anything, but it might be able to hit soldiers who are hiding behind cover, and cause them great discomfort, even if they don't die.

Impossible. Techno beats as well as bass drums in rock music are tuned to the resonant frequency of human body. (so they can be felt) You would need orders of magnitude louder sound to archieve the desired effect. Probably not impossible, but certainly not practical. Choosing some sound that is simply unbearable would be much more effective.

Yes I am a noob but not to science! Look up Tesla's Earthquake Machine! He could've destroyed a city with it, and almost did... But to clear up something, SOUND IS NOT THE ANSWER. Tesla's machine worked with mechanical waves, like water waves or the waves in a slinky, back in science class, which are pretty much macroscopic versions of sound, I guess. But mechanical waves are stronger.

Originally Posted by Twit of wit

Originally Posted by kojax

That would be interesting. I don't think it would penetrate tank armor, or anything, but it might be able to hit soldiers who are hiding behind cover, and cause them great discomfort, even if they don't die.

Impossible. Techno beats as well as bass drums in rock music are tuned to the resonant frequency of human body. (so they can be felt) You would need orders of magnitude louder sound to archieve the desired effect. Probably not impossible, but certainly not practical. Choosing some sound that is simply unbearable would be much more effective.

Yeah. There's too much dampening in the human body to deliver a resonance without continuously putting in a lot of energy to overcome the dampening. In a more ideal case, like a glass vase sitting on top of a slab of stone, you can use a fairly weak signal and just gradually build up a resonance over time. But that's only because there is no dampening. (Well, very little. The air dampens it a bit, and internal friction also.)

I think the ideal cases are what make people think sound is so powerful.

Mechanical waves, not sound. Like hitting an I-beam with a hammer in tune with it and its resonant frequency would do more than the biggest subwoofer could ever do. So make a machine that strikes the object (in tune, of course) with a hammer. Or something. That's how the earthquake machine worked. Look it up, please!

Originally Posted by Twit of wit

Techno beats as well as bass drums in rock music are tuned to the resonant frequency of human body. (so they can be felt) You would need orders of magnitude louder sound to archieve the desired effect. Probably not impossible, but certainly not practical. Choosing some sound that is simply unbearable would be much more effective.

When possible, anti-personnel explosives have been tuned to resonate with the chest cavity for some time now.

Noted with thanks~~~~

Originally Posted by x(x-y)

Now, I'm sure you've all heard of or seen a glass being smashed with resonance- the resonance of the glass is matched to the resonator, which is then 'turned-up' causing the top of the glass to wobble and then smash...

So, I was wondering if you could match the resonance of any material and cuase any material to crumble to pieces. The weapon could find the resonance of the target and intensify it causing it to break. I'm not sure if this would work, probably not, but if it could- the applications would be extraordinary. Any object could be destroyed with a weapon like this. Obviously, you would need a more complex weapon for a structure with multiple materials of different resonance- you'd have to resonate the structure layer by layer...

So, would this work? I highly doubt it myself, otherwise there would already be weapons like this...

I think resonance can be used to protect humanity from danger. When something is dangerous to someone all humanity could focus their energy on the threat to neutralize it, thereby, protecting themselves and not destroying anything!

Originally Posted by JeffreyWhittaker

I think resonance can be used to protect humanity from danger.

Why?
How?

When something is dangerous to someone all humanity could focus their energy on the threat to neutralize it, thereby, protecting themselves and not destroying anything!

What "energy"?
What does this have to do with resonance?

Originally Posted by x(x-y)

So, I was wondering if you could match the resonance of any material and cuase any material to crumble to pieces.

No. There are very few things in nature with a high Q (which is a prerequisite for significant resonance effects) and thus it will be rare that you can damage anything with resonance. Typically you see resonance in manmade structures that have been designed poorly (or more accurately without regard for resonant behavior.)