23 Jul '16 08:18>1 edit
Tell me what is wrong for this scheme for a perpetual motion machine:
You put in very close orbit around the Moon an asteroid so that for much of its orbit it is in the shadow of the Moon.
You cover a small area of the Moon plus the asteroid's surface with solar panels that are extremely close to being 100% energy efficient at converting wavelengths around a specific wavelength of light, lets say in the yellow spectrum of light, into electrical energy. Next to each of these two groups of solar panels and powered by any electricity generated by these solar panels, you place a laser that is extremely close to being 100% energy efficient at converting electrical energy into yellow light around that specific wavelength. Each time either group of solar panels are in direct sunlight, they are deactivated so they generate no energy from sunlight (else that would be cheating).
Also, the group of solar panels on the Moon is connected to a battery that is extremely close to being 100% energy efficient.
Now, as the asteroid goes into the shadow of the Moon so its solar panels receive no solar energy, and only for each period of time as that asteroid approaches the solar panels on the Moon and while those panels on the Moon are in the lunar night so they to receive no solar energy, the battery on the Moon initially powers the laser on the Moon which points at the asteroid so the asteroid's solar panels convert that energy to electrical energy which is then powers the asteroid's laser which points back at the panels on the Moon which then converts that energy back into electric energy that then powers its laser ... and so on.
BUT, because of the Doppler effect because this is only done each time when the asteroid approaches the panels on the Moon, each yellow photon of light admitted by each laser is going to be slightly shifted towards the blue spectrum of light and that would therefore slightly increase the energy of each photon and therefore slightly increase the total energy going from each laser to each set of solar panels. Thus, providing all the equipment is extremely close to 100% energy efficient, there is a net gain in energy in this cycle of energy conversions. Some of the resulting excess energy can be used to recharge the battery and the rest be used to power a toaster.
But, surely, that would violate the laws of physics because you are creating more energy out of less!?
So why wouldn't that work?
You put in very close orbit around the Moon an asteroid so that for much of its orbit it is in the shadow of the Moon.
You cover a small area of the Moon plus the asteroid's surface with solar panels that are extremely close to being 100% energy efficient at converting wavelengths around a specific wavelength of light, lets say in the yellow spectrum of light, into electrical energy. Next to each of these two groups of solar panels and powered by any electricity generated by these solar panels, you place a laser that is extremely close to being 100% energy efficient at converting electrical energy into yellow light around that specific wavelength. Each time either group of solar panels are in direct sunlight, they are deactivated so they generate no energy from sunlight (else that would be cheating).
Also, the group of solar panels on the Moon is connected to a battery that is extremely close to being 100% energy efficient.
Now, as the asteroid goes into the shadow of the Moon so its solar panels receive no solar energy, and only for each period of time as that asteroid approaches the solar panels on the Moon and while those panels on the Moon are in the lunar night so they to receive no solar energy, the battery on the Moon initially powers the laser on the Moon which points at the asteroid so the asteroid's solar panels convert that energy to electrical energy which is then powers the asteroid's laser which points back at the panels on the Moon which then converts that energy back into electric energy that then powers its laser ... and so on.
BUT, because of the Doppler effect because this is only done each time when the asteroid approaches the panels on the Moon, each yellow photon of light admitted by each laser is going to be slightly shifted towards the blue spectrum of light and that would therefore slightly increase the energy of each photon and therefore slightly increase the total energy going from each laser to each set of solar panels. Thus, providing all the equipment is extremely close to 100% energy efficient, there is a net gain in energy in this cycle of energy conversions. Some of the resulting excess energy can be used to recharge the battery and the rest be used to power a toaster.
But, surely, that would violate the laws of physics because you are creating more energy out of less!?
So why wouldn't that work?