Timeline for In Star Trek, why does the phaser disappear when people commit suicide by phaser?

5 events

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Jan 10, 2017 at 14:42	comment	added	Jason K		@iMerchant I'm not saying it makes any kind of logical sense, just that "the phaser is in their hand" is all the justification they need to sell the idea. If folks were phasered and their tools and clothes fell to the floor, then I think you'd see the suicide phaser fall as well. But since everything else disintegrates, so does the suicide phaser. As to why the disintegration effect doesn't spread beyond the EXACT area needed for the plot, well, it is becau....POOF look over there, a Gorn!
Jan 10, 2017 at 14:34	comment	added	AcePL		@iMerchant - i'm thinking the targeting system makes sure of that? There is also a way to set phaser on wide-beam in disintegration setting, so where's the problem?
Jan 9, 2017 at 21:22	comment	added	iMerchant		@JasonK - then why not disintegrate the floor they are standing on (or partially). Or why not the planet? Or the -gasp- universe?
Jan 9, 2017 at 16:58	comment	added	Jason K		Technobabble aside, the phaser probably disappears because it is held by the person getting disintegrated, whatever effect causes the disruption extends to objects held in their hands (and clothing, jewelry, etc). Nothing else survives on anyone getting disintegrated, so why would the phaser held in their hand?
Jan 9, 2017 at 12:34	history	answered	AcePL	CC BY-SA 3.0