by <unknown>
Bearing that in mind, Chen Chen clicked the button on the detector.
"Beep!"
Following the resulting signal prompt, Chen Chen quickly retracted his power and took a look at the detector. Just as he had suspected, the detector displayed results in both the electric field and magnetic field criteria.
Based on Chen Chen's understanding of physics, electric fields referred to the static electricity generated by a static charge. Since there was no such thing as an idle static charge, magnetic fields were present as long as there was a moving electric field. Thus, electric fields and magnetic fields were two co-existing entities. Whenever there was an electric field, a magnetic field would be subsequently generated, and vice versa.
"In other words, this power of mine is actually a form of electromagnetic force?"
As Chen Chen read the numbers on the display, he began further diving into the subject.
If that was the case, Chen Chen began to get a vague idea of how his ability operated. However, the specifics would still need to be verified.
With this facet in mind, he took out a draft paper and jotted down several strings of formula:
Coulomb's law formula: [F=(k·q1q2)/r2]
Uniform electric field formula: [W＝F·s·cosθ]
Electrostatic field formula: [W=qU]
Afterward, Chen Chen brought Coulomb's law into the two latter formulas and then calculated them based on the electric field strength of the earth's surface set at 100V/m. The results of his finding were that the formula for uniformly strong electric field did not conform to his results from his previous observation which was 0.36N. Instead, it was closer to the electrostatic field formula.
Was this indication that his control of the weights and marker pen was done using electrostatic field manipulation?
An alternative way to describe it would be electric charge manipulation.
This was not an uncommon application in real life.
Back in the early sixteenth-century, humans already discovered that spiders possessed the ability to fly.
Along some coastal regions, spiders were able to glide across the ocean up to hundreds of kilometers. Back then, people believed that it was simply caused by the extremely lightweight spiders being blown by the wind, but the truth was not as it seemed.
Even without any wind blowing, the spiders were still able to take flight. Many people had even noticed spiders gliding four to five kilometers overhead.
Unlike the case with other creatures, this variation of flight was not enabled by the propulsion force generated by the flapping of wings. It was another form of energy – electrostatic field.
The gist of it was that spiders had an organ known as a trichophyta that emulated a reaction with the electromagnetic field of the earth.
It was similar to how one could make the ends of their hair stand up by rubbing a balloon against their scalp. This phenomenon was known as an electrostatic force. The trichophyta in spiders enabled them to float along the electrostatic field on earth.
To summarize Chen Chen's ability in a simplified way, he was creating a highly concentrated localized electric field around a targeted object, thus simulating a thrusting effect. This was how the weight came to be magnetized.
Chen Chen himself was not even aware that he was actively channeling a localized electric field. This observation was similar to the way that humans were naturally born with the need for breathing but very few people were aware of how they were able to perform the act of breathing.
It was the same for the protagonist in the movie. They simply recognized that they were able to move objects without ever questioning the underlying principles behind it.
Following this process of thought, if Chen Chen's ability truly stemmed from manipulation of electric and magnetic fields, chances were likely that he could go one step further. For example, the manipulation of electric current, perhaps even electromagnetic waves or better yet, light.
Chen Chen recalled that in the first Chronicle, the protagonist Andrew controlled a bolt of lightning amid the thunderstorm to strike and kill the protagonist Steve with it.
At the time, Chen Chen assumed that it was merely a coincidence. Looking back at it now, everything clicked.
After all, the essence of this ability laid in the manipulation of the electromagnetic force. Similarly, the essence of electromagnetic force was the interaction between charged particles and protons, therefore, the protagonist could not have manipulated electric currents by chance.
Upon making the connection, Chen Chen turned to the laptop beside him.
If he was truly able to manipulate electric currents, he should be able to destroy the computer lying in front of him.
Upon noting this possibility, Chen Chen unplugged the laptop just to be on the safe side. After that, he began imposing the will in his mind onto the laptop lying before him.
In an instant, the display on the laptop began flickering rapidly as if it was facing some form of magnetic field disruption.
As the disruption gradually grew in severity, the laptop suddenly turned off with an abrupt "pop".
Having witnessed this, Chen Chen rubbed the resurfacing nosebleed as he began to find himself intrigued.
Surely, it was an interference effect of the electric field.
This explained how the protagonist in the movie was able to apply the superpower on themselves to fly, form energy fields around them, and block bullets. All of these had to do with the usage of electric and magnetic forces.
When Chen Chen thought of this, he became surprisingly delighted.
All this time, he thought that the superpowers from Chronicle originated from sources such as concentration or willpower. Although abilities of that caliber would be remarkable as well, it was still comparatively weaker than electromagnetic forces.
After all, manipulation of electromagnetic force was the equivalent of manipulation over all things related to it. It was a force present in all known entities. It could be applied on the most minuscule base atomic scale as well as on a macroscopic scale on significant entities.
This was an ability that was effective down to the most microscopic scale…
It could therefore be concluded that the protagonist's usage of electromagnetic force in the movie was still far too unrefined.
Chen Chen contemplated.
After all, if they were able to switch from macro to micro, they should be able to use electric fields to create light anywhere similar to Gandalf's holy light technique.
At the same time, the created light could be utilized to form phantoms and holographic images, essentially casting an illusionary spell to trap someone.
Furthermore, Chen Chen could freely manipulate the chemical bond and structures of matter, making a toy out of all kinds of substances…
This was one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, the electromagnetic force.
Chapter 162: The Galaxy |
Of course, Chen Chen was still a long way from achieving that step.
Even the movie's protagonist, Andrew, could only fly freely through the sky, move buses that weighed a few tons, and block the kinetic force of many bullets. He was still manipulating matter on a macro level. One would need to be extremely proficient to shift this power from the macro to the micro.
This was similar to the principles of global symmetry and local symmetry:
With global symmetry, it was just as it sounded. If all parts of an object could transform according to the same motion, this transformation was global.
As an example, it was like when every actor on a stage moved forward and backward in sync or they all performed the same action. To the audience, the actors were in harmony and everyone was merely a copy of one person. This would be a global transformation.
If a certain invariance could still be maintained even after a global transformation, then it would possess global symmetry.
The other thing would be local symmetry.
To make the performa
nces individualized, the director would ask the actors to create something like a wave or the Thousand-Hand Bodhisattva, forming a variety of patterns that changed constantly. In that case, everyone's actions were different, so the transformation was local.
The individuals would no longer change according to the same rule. Rather, each person of each local part would have their own unique rule.
Similarly, if a certain invariance could still be maintained after a local transformation like this, it could be said to have local symmetry.
Therefore, if a piece of work required local symmetry, it would be much more complicated than if it required global symmetry. Local transformation had stricter requirements when it came to physical laws.
Therefore, the protagonists in the movie could easily crush a car, but they could not directly break down the car on a molecular level because they had no way to shift their control over their power from a global level to a local level.
Chen Chen wondered if, with the limitations of human beings, he could attain control at the molecular level?
After some pondering, Chen Chen only felt that his head was hurting more and more. In the end, he shook his head and gave up the idea of further experimentation.
Chen Chen first turned off the experiment recorder, then left the underground laboratory and returned to the Symphony of the Seas.
…
In the next few days, Chen Chen would visit the underground laboratory for a period every day, then return to the Symphony of the Seas to rest.
To outsiders, Chen Chen was going there to supervise the project each day because the Eco Science City was about to be completed. Thus, this did not attract any unwanted attention.
Today, after a phone call with his family, Chen Chen glanced at the phone's screen and was taken aback.
The upper right corner of the phone screen, which indicated the battery level, stated that there was only about 10% left.
However, Chen Chen clearly remembered that when he answered this call, there was still more than 20%.
This was not the first time this had happened. Something similar had happened before, so Chen Chen had changed his phone.
Even so, this problem had occurred again. In that case, it was not the phone's problem…
Chen Chen looked down and felt around his neck. He touched something hard and round.
It was a pendant.
This pendant was the "Galaxy" that Chen Chen had extracted from the movie Men in Black.
Although Chen Chen found that it did not contain any energy after he extracted it, he thought that there might be other uses for it, so he did not throw it away.
Now, it seemed like he was right. Could it absorb electrical energy?
After some thought, Chen Chen took off the pendant and hesitantly placed it on his phone.
Instantly, the unthinkable happened. Chen Chen's phone had 10% of the battery power left. When the pendant was placed on top, the phone immediately sent out a window prompt:
"Insufficient power."
Before the window could end its prompt, the phone went dark and the screen had turned off.
Chen Chen quickly tried to turn the phone on again but found that he could not, no matter what.
"It could absorb electrical energy too?"
Chen Chen's eyes lit up. He thought for a moment and turned on his computer. After that, he placed his pendant on the laptop and observed the electric meter at the door.
The rate of electrical consumption was higher than before on the meter, but this rate made Chen Chen frown.
This rate of absorption was truly below par, even though it was better than the USB drive.
After all, the USB drive could not actively absorb energy at all. It could only do so passively. Therefore, Chen Chen had to connect it through a massive conductor each time. Otherwise, the immense current would wreck most conductors.
However, this pendant was different. It just had to be near the phone or laptop to be able to absorb some of the electrical energy of the device.
Chen Chen just did not know whether its efficiency could be increased, to the point where even the USB drive would not be rejected?
Furthermore, though energy could be stored within, how should it be extracted?
Chen Chen looked down again toward the interior of the pendant. There was only a dark red star glimmering faintly within. Other than that, it was pitch black.
Chen Chen tried putting the USB drive and the pendant together but nothing happened. The USB drive could not get any energy from the pendant and the pendant could not absorb the USB drive's energy either.
The energy within the pendant would have to be retrieved through some other method.
Therefore, Chen Chen went to the electrical power control room and used several tools such as wires and plugs, to create a holder for the pendant.
Chen Chen immediately installed the pendant in the holder and connected the other end to an electronic device.
Nonetheless, the device was not supplied with any power.
This meant that conventional methods could not activate the energy within the pendant.
Erm…
Chen Chen thought about it and suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He said at once, "Little X, tell Cheng Cao to get a sniper rifle, drive here to the Symphony of the Seas, and wait for me."
With that, Chen Chen put away the pendant, turned, and left the power control room.
Half an hour later, Cheng Cao was driving Chen Chen in a Jeep Wrangler to a deserted patch of wilderness.
"Your mission is simple — shoot this pendant from 1000 meters away."
Although Cheng Cao was mystified, he nodded without hesitation.
Chen Chen dangled the pendant before Cheng Cao's eyes, then hung it upon a dead tree trunk. Following that, both of them got into the car and drove off for a thousand meters.
Chen Chen recalled that when he first extracted this item, it had not consumed much energy. After all, the pendant did not have much mass. According to the energy conversion formula of extracting items from the USB drive, this pendant weighed no more than twenty grams, which took a total of twenty-five thousand kWh of electricity to extract.
This was the same as 90,000,000,000 joules. With something like TNT, each kilogram could produce 4.2 million joules of heat. In other words, the pendant contained energy equivalent to approximately 21.4 tons of TNT.
Even if all of this energy was released at once, it would only spread to a range of about five hundred meters.
The way by which the Galaxy absorbed energy was through the simplest contact.
If one wished to charge it, it was even simpler. Use copper or silver to construct a hollow metal ball with a diameter of twenty to thirty centimeters. While it was connected to a power source, place the pendant into the metal ball and insulate the outside.
In this manner, all the electrical energy would be absorbed by the pendant.
However, it was not enough that it could absorb electricity. As a tool for storing energy, it must be able to release the said energy.
Now, Chen Chen was trying to figure out how to release this energy…
[ol][li data-annotation-id="a1c6536d-b4d8-c6dc-dc34-7f4d65e64654"]it's a dance piece directed by Zhang Jigang.[/ol]
Chapter 163: Engine |
The two of them stood atop a sand dune a thousand meters away. Cheng Cao was holding an AWP sniper rifle and he aimed at a dead tree trunk a kilometer away.
"There's a full-speed southeast wind, wind force level 3, wind velocity at 6.5 meters per second, minute of angle is 7."
Beside Cheng Cao, Chen Chen reminded him. "After firing, don't look to see if you've made your shot. Turn your back and hide behind the sand dune at once. Got it?"
"Alright."
Although he did not quite understand Chen Chen's intentions, Cheng Cao still nodded without any comment.
Chen Chen put on a pair of sunglasses and only his head popped up from behind the sand dune. He prepared to duck. "Okay,
you may fire!"
Chen Chen's behavior alarmed Cheng Cao a little. He knelt on top of the sand dune and aimed steadily at the pedant a thousand meters away.
"Bang!"
After the gunshot, Cheng Cao did not even look. He immediately turned around and jumped off the sand dune. Copying Chen Chen, he got down and put his hands over his head.
Both of them stared at each other without blinking and waited for ten seconds.
Erm…
Nothing happened.
Cheng Cao gave a sheepish grin. Then he returned to the sand dune and made another shot.
"Bang!"
There was another gunshot.
To prevent himself from being blinded, Cheng Cao turned away and glanced at the target out of the corner of his eyes. Seeing that the shot did not land, he continued firing another round…
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
…
In this manner, Cheng Cao kept at it for five minutes. He had used up three magazines' worth of bullets. Just when he was feeling somewhat numb, a white light flashed before his eyes.
Instantly, Cheng Cao understood something. In pure instinct, he turned his head and leaped off the sand dune!
Behind the sand dune, Chen Chen also sensed a flash before his eyes. The sky suddenly became much brighter. Three seconds later, there was a deafening sound!
"Boom!"
Along with this deafening explosion, Chen Chen could feel a shockwave that was dying out. The gigantic impact flung the sand off the top of the dune!
That was a shockwave formed after a powerful explosive was triggered!
All at once, both of them were showered and nearly buried in yellow sand.
The shockwave came and went quickly. After a few seconds, Chen Chen raised his hand from the sand, took off his glasses, and shook his head vigorously. After that, he cleared out his ears while forcing a yawn.
The thunderous sound had caused both of them to experience tinnitus.