Roberta Baxter - What Would It Take to Make an Energy Blade?

SCI-FI TECH

BY ROBERTA BAXTER

Capstone Captivate is published by Capstone Press, an imprint of Capstone.

1710 Roe Crest Drive

North Mankato, Minnesota 56003

www.capstonepub.com

Copyright 2020 by Capstone. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Baxter, Roberta, 1952- author.

Title: What would it take to make an energy blade? / by Roberta Baxter.

Description: North Mankato, Minnesota : Capstone Press, 2020. | Series: Sci-fi tech | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Audience: Grades 4-6.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019029496 (print) | LCCN 2019029497 (ebook) ISBN 9781543591170 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781496665973 (paperback) ISBN 9781543591255 (ebook pdf) | ISBN 9781496692368 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Stun guns--Juvenile literature. | Torches--Juvenile literature. | Laser weapons--Juvenile literature. | Directed-energy weapons--Juvenile literature. | Swords--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC TK7882.S78 B39 2020 (print) | LCC TK7882.S78 (ebook) | DDC 623.4--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019029496

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019029497

Image Credits

Alamy: AF archive, Design Elements: Shutterstock Images

Editorial Credits

Editor: Arnold Ringstad; Designer: Laura Graphenteen

All internet sites appearing in back matter were available and accurate when this book was sent to press.

WORDS IN BOLD ARE IN THE .

A hero and his enemy face off. They each hold a shiny rod. Suddenly a bright beam of energy grows out of each rod. The beam stops after a few feet. The weapons look like glowing swords. The energy blades hum as they swish through the air. The two fighters attack. Sparks fly as blade strikes blade.

Energy blades are most famous in Star Wars. In these movies they are called lightsabers. But energy blades show up in many science-fiction movies, books, and games. Is it possible to build one of these weapons in real life?

Energy blades are popular weapons in science fiction.

Energy blades give off a bright glow.

Energy blades look like swords. But instead of metal, they have blades made of energy. The blades glow with power.

When the blade is turned off, it looks like a flashlight. When the user turns it on, energy shoots out from one or both ends. It forms the glowing blade.

Energy blades have handles that let users safely hold them.

Many people have fun fighting with toy energy blades.

In many science-fiction stories, energy blades are used as weapons. Enemies fight in battles that look like sword fights. The blades spark as they hit each other. The air around them crackles with energy. If a blade hits a person, it can be deadly. The energy can cut a person.

An energy blade is also a tool. It can cut or melt almost anything. In movies people use them to cut through thick steel doors. This kind of blade would be useful in the real world. People could slice through metal objects. They could heat metal to things together. But is it even possible to make an energy blade?

The Star Wars movies have the most famous energy blades in science fiction.

Energy blades in science fiction are often mysterious. They usually do not have real science behind them. They are based in fiction. Scientists have thought about how they could work in the real world. They have a few different ideas.

In the Star Wars movies, the energy blades are powered by a crystal. The crystal uses energy from an invisible energy source called the Force. This source is found everywhere in the galaxy. Special fighters called Jedi can use the Force. They use lightsabers as their weapons.

One idea is to use . A laser makes a narrow, focused beam of light. Laser pointers are common toys. More powerful lasers can burn their targets. They can pop balloons or start fires.

But making an energy blade from a laser would be hard. A beam of light from a laser does not stop until it hits something. An energy blade extends only a few feet. The user would need some way to stop the beam. Also, a laser beam is usually invisible. It is only seen when it hits something. Energy blades are bright and visible.

flash tube

mirror that lets some light through

mirror

laser beam

ruby crystal

electricity source

In a laser, a flash tube sends energy to a ruby crystal. Light bounces around inside the crystal and gets stronger. A mirror in the back reflects light back into the crystal. A mirror on the front mostly reflects light back, but it also lets some out. The light that gets out forms the laser beam.