Experiments

Control

The control serves as the basis for comparison on the experiment. Since all these squares are made from the same plank/sheet of material, they will have similar characteristics. The stress and compression tests for each of these materials is well documented, and can be used as a reference. However, manufacturing can cause differences from the average values listed in sources, so the control is placed through the same tests as the rest. If it does differ from the sources, that deviation is potential noise in the experiment, and can be factored out when moving forward with the rest of the tests.

Compression Test

With the bar set for the potential noise of the experiment, the main tests can be conducted. The plate is clamped between two pillars that hold the plate aloft. From there, a steel wire is bundled around the plate with a hook that can hold a bag that contains a series of weights. Weights can then be added in five, one, or half pound increments, until the metal starts to bend, at which point the material has hit the yielding stress point and is permanently altered. The amount of weight withstood is recorded and the next plate is placed into position.

Once the runs are completed, the sensors are recalibrated and the set up double checked for potential errors before the next run.

Stress Test

In this test, the plate is held against a vertical plate that will be the receiving end of an arching pendulum. The pendulum's striking force can be adjusted by increasing the striking weight and by increasing the starting angle. These values can be calculated on a theoretical basis, and the readings from the control will tell of any noise that might cause it to deviate from the result. The material is tested with increasing weight or increasing angles of attack, until the material endures yielding stresses and is permanently warped. Marks on the weight and angles are taken into note and compared against theoretical calculations and control.

Like the compression tests, the stress will have all its machinery reexamined after three runs to ensure a minimal pure error in the experimentation.

Aura Test

The final and perhaps the most difficult to set up is the Aura test. This is a test that can suffer from a tremendous amount of noise, as the team members conducting the experiment naturally produce relatively small amounts of Aura. It is therefore imperative that each person who comes into contact with the experiment is to record their times around the area and to interfere with the making of material as little as possible. This ensures the team that a certain amount of Aura was available for the Chitin to absorb, based off the theoretical calculations. To ensure that the material is relatively Aura free, the plates dedicated to its usage are left for a few days in isolation for the Chitin to bleed out any trace Aura.

This done, the plates that hold the material are laid out against a six inch thick cube of steel, as specified by the Hunter's guild regarding testing for Aura strength. Thankfully the Hunter's guild has provided a plate suitable for this task for the benefit of this test. The hunter who has elected to help with this experiment, is to wear a Auraometer at all times, and is to conserve their output to a bare minimum until such a time as the experiment is to begin.

In order to prevent contamination from other Auras, the plates upon decontamination, thick rubber suits were worn to minimize the Aura output, and subjects with low Aura readings were to set up the plates. Once the plates were set up, the Aura testing could begin, and the hunter volunteer is allowed to enter the chamber proper. At this time, a small taped area is placed for the Hunter to stand. The hunter in question was also trained to release a consistent level of Aura over a period of a few minutes.

As is stated above, the Aura field that emits from a target generates a physical pressure upon a potential surface. The surface area of the flat plates is known, which means a force gauge can be fitted upon the plate to measure the force pressing against it. Unlike the previous examples however, the material does not need to be tested to its breaking point. The Aura output is factored into the calculations and the force on the control plate is monitored over five minutes to determine any deviations.

Once this is completed, the treated materials are placed upon the plate, and the Aura user repeats the test and the values on the force meter are calculated and compared. This holds true for all replications and all materials, and the data is gathered for future analysis.

When the final results are finally tabulated, the force registered on the force meter is expected to be significantly less than the control test. This means that the Chitin, being the only difference, is absorbing and redistributing this force in other directions, which would prove the potential that the substance is capable of absorbing Aura.