How do Zats work?

[Njord]

Stargate Tech.Net has an interesting theory.

[Three PhDs]

Mechanical: powered by an internal charge mean of pure, intense energy at the intended victim. This energy is directed my two identical laser like beams.

And the energy travels along those two electron paths.

"Laser like"? "Electron Paths"?

A third blast will usually cause rapid mass cellular decomposition due to intense heat.

Only we've never seen any evidence to support this. No burn marks, no smoke, no charring, identical effects on both living matter and the inorganic... in fact, on the face of it, what we've seen goes against your idea.

[helio9]

"Laser like"? "Electron Paths"?

Only we've never seen any evidence to support this. No burn marks, no smoke, no charring, identical effects on both living matter and the inorganic... in fact, on the face of it, what we've seen goes against your idea.

Yeah, in 1969 they used the 3rd shot to get rid of a box of weapons. The only reasonable assumption is that the zat vaporises on the 3rd shot.

But given the following:
1)Every shot is the same, ie same power output.
2)First shot only stuns

it makes no sense for the 3rd shot to vaporize. And it does so indiscriminately of the size of the object, or even it's contents. I admit, it's cool. Just not possible.

[Exiled Master]

Here's my stretched-out theory: If the zat is fired repeatedly in a given direction, it increase the power of the shot. If the orientation of the zat changes, from selecting a new target, it returns to the original output (energy of the first shot). I don't understand what the mechanism would be for the third shot, though. On a different note- Could there ever be another zat variant, like a rifle? It seems like the zat is the preffered weapon of the Tokra, so wouldn't they have developed a sniper variant? I can't see anyone shooting from a distance with a weapon without a scope, or at least crosshairs.

[helio9]

Here's my stretched-out theory: If the zat is fired repeatedly in a given direction, it increase the power of the shot. If the orientation of the zat changes, from selecting a new target, it returns to the original output (energy of the first shot). I don't understand what the mechanism would be for the third shot, though. On a different note- Could there ever be another zat variant, like a rifle? It seems like the zat is the preffered weapon of the Tokra, so wouldn't they have developed a sniper variant? I can't see anyone shooting from a distance with a weapon without a scope, or at least crosshairs.

Goauld weapons suck at long range combat. Their effective range is like 50 yards max. So stupid. Especially the staff weapons. But that's been discussed enough in other threads.

[Njord]

As it appears none have perused the page presented, I shall post part and perhaps pique your perception.

Mechanics aside, we have a good understanding of the properties of the Zats energy discharge that we can try to define a working theory on them. Zats fire a intriguing type of energy partial working on a chain reaction against matter. We will call them "Zat particles" for now, in lue of any information onscreen about the actual technology. When they strike a human target, they cause great pain and secondary effects including spasms, loss of muscular control and loss of coconscious. A second shot within a relatively short time (less then a day at the outside, more likely an hour) will kill a human victim (or a Jaffa or Goa'uld for that matter). A third shot again within a matter of seconds will "vaporise" or "disintegrate" a target subject, including (conditionally) inorganic matter. The discharge also has an electrical component which delivers a moderate electrical charge, though apparently with apparently a relatively low electrical potentional energy. A loud rapid beeping sound followed by a buzzing/whizzing sound for lack of a better word takes place as the beam is fired then shoots past. As mentioned above, the effects of the weapon are cumulative. If a shot is repeated within a certain time period the next stage of effects will take place. Being death, or, 'vanishing'. Long term it does appear repeated exposure to the first level of Zat discharges will help in working up an immunity to the first stage stun. Colonel O'Neill for example originally was knocked unconscious by Zat hits, these days while he is stunned and still suffers great pain, he is still active and fighting after a single hit. When the weapon impacts, the energy cascades over the target, dissipating on the extremities of human targets. On flat, non-conductive surfaces it generally 'go's dead', while, conductive surfaces lead to the charge spreading out until dissipation. This appears to lead to the idea that electrical charge is what conducts the Zat energy along.

[Major Tyler]

Here's my stretched-out theory: If the zat is fired repeatedly in a given direction, it increase the power of the shot. If the orientation of the zat changes, from selecting a new target, it returns to the original output (energy of the first shot).

This doesn't make any sense. How many times have we seen people shoot someone a second time and kill them after the zat was moved? Many. There was an episode where Jack had to shoot Sam a second time (the had to used a defibrilator to bring her back), and they had to shoot Martouf (he died), because the first shot was ineffective. If all they had to do was give it a shake to stun someone again that wouldn't have been a problem. The Zats release a consistant burst of energy that is cumulative because the energy persists.

[helio9]

I highly doubt there is a sound (or near sound) scientific justification for them.

There is no reasonable reason to believe that the shots are not uniform (ie same energy output).

And based on that, if the first shot merely stuns, the third cannot vaporize. It's as simple as that.

[RA the sun god]

why cant it it could go like this:
1.the number of zat particles overloads the nervous system stunning.
2.the concentration of zparticles kills the victim.
3.the number of zat particles causes a chain reaction ionising the victim.
seems simple to me...

im sorry i hope that makes sense its basicaly just summing up what stargate-tech net said ok that should help

[beale947]

why cant it it could go like this:
1.the number of zat particles overloads the nervous system stunning.
2.the concentration of zparticles kills the victim.
3.the number of zat particles causes a chain reaction ionising the victim.
seems simple to me...

im sorry i hope that makes sense its basicaly just summing up what stargate-tech net said ok that should help

yes, but why does it vaporise the vitim a third time??, if you got shocked my a 1 million volts, and 1 million amps, you wouldn't be vaporised, just very black, and dead

[Exiled Master]

Like I said that was my stretched-out theory.
I guess we can conclude that by the third shot, the zat stops being a weapon and starts being a plot device.

[helio9]

why cant it it could go like this:
1.the number of zat particles overloads the nervous system stunning.
2.the concentration of zparticles kills the victim.
3.the number of zat particles causes a chain reaction ionising the victim.
seems simple to me...

im sorry i hope that makes sense its basicaly just summing up what stargate-tech net said ok that should help

And how exactly would "ionizing" the target make it disappear completely?

[Lord Dannos]

I vaguely remember someone suggesting it was a 'gluon' gun, similar to the weapon you get in the original Half Life. Each blast fires some form of energy that disrupts things at the subatomic level, and several shots one after the other literally causes the molecules in the target to completely dissociate, and the target subsequently ceases to stay intact. The theory explains the stun effect too, nothing quite like all the atoms in your brain briefly seperating for knocking you out

[RA the sun god]

And how exactly would "ionizing" the target make it disappear completely?

well when something is ionizing something it does not make it dissapear(that is never the case NOTHING ever just dissapears...)it turns the matter into ions which dispers into the atmosphere...ok

yes, but why does it vaporise the vitim a third time??, if you got shocked my a 1 million volts, and 1 million amps, you wouldn't be vaporised, just very black, and dead

oh because the zat particles have a electrical component but the ions are what does the vaporising...ok