The Elemental Phase Deconstructor.

[MisterChief]

To anyone who has played Doom 3, this piece of sci-fi tech should be well known. The Elemental Phase Deconstructor (EPD) harvests naturally occuring iron oxides in the Martian soil. The iron oxides are then fed into a particle beam, where they are split into their basic atoms, then into subatomic particles. The subatomic particles can then be recombined to make any element known to man, including water, oxygen, and even pure hydrogen.

The problem with this idea is that it involves technology that hasn't been invented or discovered yet. It all depends on time and, more importantly, funding.

 

[bobsmith1492]

And even more importantly, gigawatts of nearly free energy!

 

[cirthix]

um.. wouldnt work. "split into their basic atoms, then into subatomic particles" would take more energy than you would get out of it. there is no free lunch

 

[Jack31081]

to echo bob and cirthix, the amount of energy required to overcome the strong nuclear force that holds the subatomic particles together is so large the whole process becomes pointless.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Jack31081
to echo bob and cirthix, the amount of energy required to overcome the strong nuclear force that holds the subatomic particles together is so large the whole process becomes pointless.

well, you DO get a lot of that back when you put the particles back together, but obviously any HINT of inefficiency gets magnified by a lot due to the enormously high energies involved.

 

[f95toli]

It is actually possible to "build" atoms and molecules, even large nuclei like gold can be made from smaller nuclei (and ultimately protons and neutrons). It is evan possible to make anti-atoms, a few years ago anti-hydrogen was made (2 anti-protons and 2 positrons) and I am sure more will follow eventually.

 

[MisterChief]

Although I suppose it is true that the amount of power required would offset the gain.