Kinetic Energy Sink Query

Summary:

I want to double-check if an anomalous object will work the way I think it does

Kinetic Energy Sink Query

Uncannyon 21 Aug 2018 20:12

So, I'm at the planning and note making stage for an SCP concept that includes, among other things, a pair of Inertiafying boxing gloves. Their essential purpose is to absorb the energy of a punch, so that when you try to hit something with them it strikes with all the force of a very small feather. The material of the gloves takes in kinetic energy, so this effect would also apply to things which hit the gloves from the outside.

If that's the case, then I reasoned that it would also be near impossible to remove them, since the effort of trying to 'pull' the gloves off would also be absorbed.

Insomuch as physics can be applied to a hypothetical object like this, is that a correct understanding of how this would work? Would there be any way to cheat this? Or any other complications such objects would cause?

Re: Kinetic Energy Sink Query

wishun 04 Sep 2018 14:00

If they absorb 100% of kinetic energy, then they would have effectively infinite inertia and could never be picked up or moved.

But it sounds like what you intend is that they aren't absolute kinetic sinks, but rather just absorb the vast majority of energy applied. So that at least a lovetaps-worth is leftover from a haymaker swing. In that case, it would take a lot of effort to pull them off but should still be possible.

One logic puzzle to keep in mind: if you can't take them off; how did you pull them on in the first place? Maybe the effect doesn't turn on until the gloves are laced up?

Another thing to consider, kinetic energy isn't just impact. It's also speed. The puncher imparts kinetic energy to accelerate the glove from stationary up to punching speed. So wearing these could be like swinging your arms through wet cement.

They should also be less affected by gravity. Falling almost like zero G, as they absorb most of the Earth's pull that would normally accelerate them downward.

Re: Kinetic Energy Sink Query

Uncannyon 05 Sep 2018 23:06

Ah, that was rather what I was worried about. Thank you very much for your help on the matter.

Is their a conceivable way I could make this work the way I was envisioning with a difference physics based effect? The 'it only activates when worn/laced up' could certainly be included, but that still doesn't fix the issue of not being able to move them while worn. It could only absorb forceful hits or, as you say, absorb the majority of energy but not all of it. Possibly rather than taking a proportion of energy, it would absorb any energy over a certain amount, but there might be a better option.

In context, the point of their downside is that it's meant to be an oversight because their creator didn't think things through properly.

Re: Kinetic Energy Sink Query

Petrograd 06 Sep 2018 06:37

Well, you said this applies to forces applied from outside the glove. If forces from inside still apply, which I think they would have to for you to be able to swing/move the gloves at all, maybe you could (with a lot of effort) wiggle/push them off?

Also, a PSA for "Physics SCPs don't have to entirely make sense." (cough cough).They're already violating the laws of physics by existing, it's ok for a few more things not to line up if that makes it more narratively interesting.

Re: Kinetic Energy Sink Query

wishun 06 Sep 2018 15:30

I'm just spit-balling here. How about: they absorb 100% of kinetic energy, but only when the material becomes compressed.

That way, a user could pick up, move, don, and doff the gloves as normal. But when you hit something wearing them all the power of your swing goes POOF a bare moment after initial contact with the target. The hit-ee would feel just a tiny tap representing the fraction of a second and pittance of force it takes before the padding gets squeezed and all the energy is sucked away. The minute recoil of the target would be enough to create space and the padding flexes back, turning off the anomaly.

Another angle of possible interest; what happens to all this absorbed energy? It doesn't necessarily have to go anywhere, the anomaly could be that it just ceases to exist. But what if it was channeled into something else? Radiation, heat, light, sound waves, micro-tears in the fabric of space-time, or the gloves bank the energy and when they have enough to satisfy e=mc² spontaneously manifest an identical new pair of gloves. How many punches would it take to create a pound of leather/cotton?