Noobish questions about electricity.

[ForeverNoobie]

Ok so I'm writing a science fiction story in which law enforcement uses non-leathal weapons based on laser induced plasma channel technology (found it on google). So a gun shoots a laser, turns the air between the gun and the target into plasma, and then sends a bolt of electricity through the channel.

 

In my book a criminal is wearing thick rubber boots so this brings up a few questions (and I'm sorry if any are innately retarded but...):

 

A) Would those boots protect him from all non-lethal levels of shock? If not what would be an idea for futuristic, makeshift, super-insolation that a criminal might employ.

B) If the guy is fired at, there would be no current of electricity right? If the bolt cant find the ground it wouldn't shoot in the first place?

C) lets say the gun is dialed up some. The bolt then would travel down the plasma stream and then stray hitting the first grounded person in the area. It might even curve around him and hit someone behind him? Or would it go through him?

D) Voltage is what makes a bolt able to jump through air right? So you can have extremely high voltage but low current and the weapon would stay non-lethal? or is a certain voltage range lethal no matter the current?

E) Assuming A) is true, is there any theoretical way to work around the rubber boot problem? Seems a little ridiculous to rely primarily on a technology that's so easily foiled.

 

Also what other future weapons might be cool?

Edited November 15, 2011 by ForeverNoobie

[swansont]

Insulation (boots) will prevent a discharge to ground, but you can still charge the insulator up, so there can be a discharge. But it will dissipate as the target is charged up. e.g. you can scuff your feet on the floor and still shock someone who has rubber boots on or is otherwise insulated from ground, but at the end of it you will have the same voltage.

 

All of that could be moot if the voltage is high enough — the boots won't protect you.

[fleet1779]

Ok a single plasma stream would only be one part of the circuit, the +voltage must busily find a ground. That is why DC voltage has to be connected to the battery ground not the earth ground. So what about this; Good guy fires a plasma gun at bad guy, the plasma actually runs on 2 streams 1 for voltage 1 for ground and the target is just a resistor (SHOCKING!!!!). Now dig this what if good guy fires his/her "ray gun" at bad guy and the ray splits voltage goes to bad guy and ground stream goes to subject #2 (perhaps the innocent bystander). Tragedy or...

 

 

 

See also: plasma cutter http://www.howstuffworks.com/plasma-cutter.htm

 

most law enforcement go for the lower tech curly wires with fish hooks on the end to deliver the high voltage... The stun gun that reaches out and touches someone.