Transformer Physics FAQ

                                ver 1.0

                                   by

               Burt "Skyflight" Ward AKA Beavis@Cris.com


The purpose of this FAQ is to attempt to explain the technology of the
Transformers using real-world science. I was prompted to write this FAQ
by the discussions on Alt.Toys.Transformers concerning how the size
changing Transformers operate. Please note that I am not an expert by
any means : I have a passing familiarity with physics and quantum
theory. I have attempted to use real-world examples and simple language
whenever possible. Please note that for simplicity's sake I will refer
to all "normal" matter as atoms, although it would be more proper to
refer to molecules. I have used several books as a reference, most
notably _In Search of Schrodinger's Cat_ by John Gribbin and _Fantastic
Voyage II : Destination Brain_ by Isaac Asimov. If you want a layman's
guide to, and history of, quantum mechanics, see the former; for a great
sci fi adventure that also has some physics about miniaturization, see
the latter. Also bear in mind that one theory explains anything : It's
easier for the writers to do it that way.

Q : How do some Transformers (like Megatron and Soundwave) change sizes?

A : Well, there are several possible explanations to this, each of which
have problems.

Q : Well, how about miniaturization?

A : This is the notion that the Transformers grow smaller by physically
reducing the volume they would occupy. The problems with this are
several. If one simply packs all the atoms of a multi-ton object close
together (thus shrinking it) the density would increase to the point
where the object would simply sink right into the ground, and toward the
center of the planet. If one removes a proportional number of atoms, and
restructures the item to be the same shape, that would leave only about
one atom out of twenty or thirty. This leaves two problems : where did
the missing atoms (several tons of material) go, and how did the
restructuring take place? For the first question, see the next section
on subspace. As for the second : if the Transformers had such precise
control over all of their atoms, why would they get damaged? If an
injury occurred they could simply restructure the atoms back in place.
(Think of the T-1000 if you have seen Terminator 2) This type of control
also brings into play the uncertainty principle. The uncertainty
principle states that we can not know the precise location and velocity
of any one particular atom. The very act of measuring it will change
it's location and velocity. This method also does not answer how
Megatron can fire himself at the same power levels with smaller, less
powerful, circuits and gears and so on. If the power generators are only
one twentieth their normal size and complexity, why are they capable of
generating the same amount of force? If they are not capable of
generating the same amount of force, why would Megatron shrink so,
knowing he would sacrifice a great deal of power? If his generators were
that powerful at the smaller size, why not forego shrinking and simply
add 19 more generators to his full size robot mode?

Another possibility is to actually keep all the atoms intact, and shrink
the atoms themselves in size. This sounds easy, but is really very hard
to pull off. First off, Planck's Constant, which a fundamental quantity
of our Universe (like the speed of light) won't allow it. Planck's
Constant sets the limit on how small an energy transfer can take place.
Without getting into some of the more sticky parts of the theory,
Planck's Constant sets a limit on how small something can be. For
example, we all know the old school model of the atom as a solar system,
with the electrons in orbit. Well, that model is not accurate at all;
let's work with the atom as if it were an onion. Each electron is a
layer, with the nucleus at the center. Well, when an electron changes
from one "orbit", or layer, to the next, it doesn't traverse the
distance in between. It vanishes from one layer and reappears in the
next. Think of it as a checker board, and the pieces can not slide. You
must pick them up from one square and place them on the next. In atoms,
this is how electrons move because Planck's Constant says that's the way
the Universe is divided. There are "squares" of the Universe (very small
ones) that energy or mass must travel along. The point of this : an atom
that is made smaller by reducing the amount of space between the nucleus
and the electrons violates Planck's constant. The electrons could not
move from one orbit to the next because they are already in the closest
orbit. Plus, the strong nuclear force maintains the proper distance
between the positive nucleus and the negative electrons. So removing
some space between the electrons and the nucleus simply will not work.
Or rather, it would require and enormous amount of power to keep it
stable. On top of all that, this still would not eliminate any mass.
We're right back to the Transformer sinking in the planet again.

The other way to shrink an object is to reduce the size of the atom
itself, keeping the right proportions for the electrons and nucleus.
This satisfies the strong nuclear force, because the force of the
charges would be lessened in proportion. It also satisfies the mass,
since the reduced atoms will not have as much. However, Plank's Constant
still forbids the smaller particles : they are now not the right size
for the squares on our checker board. So, somehow, Planck's Constant
will have to be reduced also, making our squares smaller, so that the
atoms will still fit. This process would reduce the size of the squares
for the Universe, at least for that part of the Universe the Transformer
occupied. This method has several problems. One, how does one go about
changing an absolutely fundamental value for the Universe, even in a
small portion of it? If you could do that, why would you need to bother
with stealing energon? How would you keep other atoms from diffusing
into "your" area of the Universe? How would you know in advance which
part of the universe you would need to alter? Say someone dropped
Soundwave and he didn't know it was going to happen : How could he keep
the Universe around himself reduced unless he knew where every atom was
at all times, and could predict in advance where they were going to be?
Here again the uncertainty principle comes into play. In short, this
method has major problems. Plus, all the physical shrinking explanations
fail to account for Kickback's appearing gun, since it did not "grow"
into his hand, but simply appeared.

Q : Why couldn't you use an anti-gravity field on a compacted
Transformer?

A : Well, you could, but that wouldn't help you out. An anti-gravity
field might keep the Transformer from being effected by the Earth's
pull, and thus keep it from sinking, but it would not effect inertia. No
matter if the Earth pulls at Soundwave or not, he still has the same
multi-ton mass as before. Thus, it would still take the same amount of
energy to impart him with velocity as it would before. Spike could no
more pick Soundwave up than he could move the Hubble telescope in space.
He would only succeed in pushing himself away in both cases. (He would,
for the record, affect the velocity of each VERY slightly.)

Q : How about the whole subspace thing? How would that work?

A : Well, the basic theory behind it is that each Transformer has a
"pocket" in another dimension where s/he can "shunt" matter to. This
would explain away Kickback's appearing gun, and where Prime's trailer
goes. However, the major problem with this is it fails to explain the
shrinking process. If we use subspace to shunt away nineteen of
Soundwave's atoms out of twenty, that still would not reduce his volume
any. It would reduce his density to one twentieth it's original value.
Thus we must go back to re-structuring the Transformer as s/he shrinks.
We now have a place to put the extra atoms, and we can avoid the
unpleasant aspects of the size and power of components (see above) by
postulating that all the atoms still function as normal, in contact with
each other through the "pocket" and real space. But this fails to
resolve how the restructuring is accomplished (see above).
Q : So where does that leave us?

A : In deep Ick Yak droppings. Seriously, the only way I know to explain
all this is "puppets". When a Transformer shrinks, he actually puts all
his mass into subspace, and what comes into real space is a "puppet"
which the Transformer controls. There would be suitable junctions
between subspace and real space allowing the Transformer to sense his
surroundings in real space normally, and let Megatron fire his fusion
blasts etc. This could work for "puppets" larger than the Transformer as
well, as in the case of Skyfire and Astrotrain. The only real problem
with this is why do the Transformers appear to shrink? Why does the
robot not simply disappear and the "puppet" appear? The only explanation
I can think of is holograms.

None of these theories are perfect, and all require a lot of Universe
shuffling for little gain. After all, Soundwave did not have to shrink
for his spy mode in "More Than Meets the Eye". I come back to the
perfect theory : It was easier for the writers to do it that way.

This file copyright by Burt Ward 1996. All rights reserved. Permission is
granted to distribute this FAQ in any way so long as it is kept intact
and whole, and so long as no fee is charged for it. Check out my TF page
at http://www.cris.com/~beavis/tf/tf.html.