star trek - If I want to replicate say three apples in a replicator, will they be exactly the same to the molecule or there would be slight variance?

As far as I know, the replicator reads files from the computer library and based on that pattern it creates the object or food. If it is just materializing objects to the molecule based on that pattern, am I correct in my assumption that if want to replicate say three apples, they would be absolutely identical. Or does the device add some variance? Or are there any limitations which would not make everything identical? And yet, if it introduces some variance, how trustworthy will it be when creating more sensitive items?

Answer

The files from the library may contain either a copy of an apple, copies of multiple apples, or instructions on how to generate random apples. So it's readily possible that replicators could produce random apples.

After all, if you were designing a replicator which makes food for people, you wouldn't want to produce the exact same meal every time as most people would get bored. Built in variety would be a useful feature.

It's probably possible to ask the replicator to produce identical items but it's most likely that the default setting would be to randomise.

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