Plasma: Difference between revisions

{{Era|Forerunner|Covenant|Human|UNSC|HCW|Post}}

{{SeeWikipedia|Plasma (physics)}}

[[File:Halo3 E3 TRAILER 2007 720p30 ST 6300Kbps 002 0001.jpg|thumb|300px|Plasma being discharged by Covenant [[CCS-class Battlecruiser|cruisers']] [[Energy Projector]]s.]]

===Weaponry===

{{Main|Plasma weaponry}}

[[Covenant]] [[Covenant military|military]] forces and the various factions that have branched off from the hegemony use plasma in weapons to great effect. These weapons contain and guide the plasma in the form of a single bolt, beam, or continuous stream. Plasma-based weapons are the most common armament of Covenant infantry and vehicular forces, and the main armament of their warships, dominating almost their entire weapon arsenal. Small arms are designed to deplete [[energy shielding]] or melt infantry armor, while heavier weapons can destroy vehicles or buildings. The largest are mounted onto [[capital ship]]s and are used for [[glassing|orbital bombardment]] and ship-to-ship combat, and can reduce a ship's hull to a pile of molten metal floating in space. When a plasma weapon is charging, a high quantity of beta particle radiation is emitted.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 147''</ref>

Complete armor protection from plasma weaponry is generally difficult to accomplish due to plasma's high damage ratio. The [[M52B Body Armor|armor]] used by the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] and [[UNSC Army]] usually provides good protection from plasma, but only to a certain extent. A series of hits from a plasma weapon will literally melt or burn the armor, rendering it useless. The [[SPARTAN-II]] [[MJOLNIR Armor|armor]] variant is similar the Marines' armor, in that it will eventually give way to the plasma. Some newer versions of the Spartans' armor boast [[Energy shielding#Human energy shielding|energy shields]], which provide additional protection from plasma, although shielding systems can be completely depleted by sustained plasma fire, or a single, overcharged bolt.

The armor of neither Covenant nor UNSC warships provides significant protection against plasma, which will melt through the hulls of both. Covenant plasma torpedoes have a temperature of approximately 3,000 degrees Celsius,<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 17''</ref> while [[titanium]], a key component of UNSC ship armor, has a melting point of 1668 degrees Celsius.<ref group="note">There is a difference between baseline titanium and [[Titanium-A armor|Titanium-A]], an augmented form of titanium, used in UNSC starship armor. This along with the fact that Titanium-A armor is sometimes layered with [[tungsten]] (which has a melting point of 3,422 °C) means that the melting point of their starship armor is higher than that of conventional titanium.</ref> In all encounters with Covenant ships, plasma-based weaponry has melted through and disabled UNSC ships in a matter of seconds. However, it is possible that since the UNSC uses [[Titanium-A armor|Titanium-A]], an augmented form of titanium, in its ship armor, the melting point of their starship armor is much higher than suspected.

The [[fusion reactor]]s used by the UNSC produce plasma via [[nuclear fusion]]; the Covenant use a comparable type of power plant known as the [[pinch fusion reactor]]. Plasma also has various industrial uses, such as cutting heavy metals in factories.  

For gameplay reasons, plasma is less lethal to unshielded [[NPC]]s in the [[Halo universe|''Halo'' games]] than in the novels. In the games, Marines can take a barrage from a plasma weapon without being incapacitated, but in the books there are several instances of plasma easily burning through both armor and flesh. This disparity is due to gameplay mechanics, rather than being a canon contradiction.

==Sources==

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[[Category:Physics]]