Could a weapon utilize artificial lightning?

Asked Jan 25 '16 at 20:02

Active Jan 26 '16 at 23:59

Viewed 60 times

We all know how lightning works: The clouds have a strong static charge and release that charge towards the ground. But could it be used as a weapon?

Would a weapon of the following description work? Would it be practical for mass destruction?

A strongly positively charged piece of metal is fired at a target. Then, a machine builds up a very strong positive charge. Because of the charge difference, a strong electrical current flows through the air and strikes the target.

edited Jan 26 '16 at 23:59

Vincent

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asked Jan 25 '16 at 20:02

DevilApple227

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Such a weapon is more likely to strike anything BUT the desired target (lower resistance to strike the wielder, the tree over there, that mailbox, the ground itself...). – Draco18s no longer trusts SE Jan 25 '16 at 20:05
The charged metal is there to prevent that – DevilApple227 Jan 25 '16 at 20:05
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A negatively charged shard of metal is both the wrong charge AND deadly on its own. Its called a "bullet" – Draco18s no longer trusts SE Jan 25 '16 at 20:06
Ok, I'll change the charge. – DevilApple227 Jan 25 '16 at 20:06
How could the weapon harness the power of artificial lightning, would it not create the lightning to begin with? – Quiquȅ Jan 25 '16 at 20:07
If you really want this gun to work, you need to ionize the air so that there's a viable least-resistance path to the target. Simply injecting a charged plate on the target isn't going to do anything: you're trying to overcome the electrical resistance of the air and "less air" is going to be preferrable over "more air" in nearly ever scenario. – Draco18s no longer trusts SE Jan 25 '16 at 20:08
And bullets have extremely limited destructive power. They are effective against "soft" targets, but against a heavily armor-plated target or against a building they have limited effectiveness. – DevilApple227 Jan 25 '16 at 20:08
Throwing more metal at a metal-covered opponent is going to do diddly squat. Charged or no. – Draco18s no longer trusts SE Jan 25 '16 at 20:08
Doesn't the lightning bolt ionize the air? If it doesn't, what happens in lightning? – DevilApple227 Jan 25 '16 at 20:09
This question is nearly identical to that of Culyx. – Quiquȅ Jan 25 '16 at 20:10

Could a weapon utilize artificial lightning?

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