ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Chemical laser

Chemical laser is like a superhero that can shoot lasers with superpowers. But, instead of wearing a cape and a mask, chemical laser has a special recipe of chemicals inside a container that can produce a powerful laser beam.

Imagine you have a fancy toy gun that shoots out a beam of light. Now, replace the batteries of this toy gun with a mixture of special chemicals, just like you typically mix ingredients to make a cake. When these chemicals react together, they release a lot of energy, which is converted into a beam of laser light.

The main difference between a chemical laser and other types of lasers is that the energy required to create the laser beam comes from a chemical reaction instead of electricity. This means that a chemical laser is usually more powerful than other types of lasers, but it requires very precise mixing and handling of the chemicals.

Scientists and engineers use chemical lasers for many purposes, from cutting and welding metals and plastics to studying the properties of different materials. Some of the more exciting uses of chemical lasers include military applications, such as shooting down missiles and creating laser weapons.

So, the bottom line is that chemical laser is a type of laser that uses a mixture of chemicals to produce a super powerful beam of light, just like a superhero that shoots lasers.