Theory

Barbie · 14 May 2007 at 11:13

The carrot doesn't move as one entity. Relativistic effects are minute at day to day velocities, but it could be calculated and measured. The carrot would be a fraction of a nanometer (probably less) shorter as you wait for the front end to start moving, compared with the back end.

It's probably less than the diameter of an atomic nucleus, but it's still measureable.

BTW, i do have a masters degree in physics, i SHOULD know this stuff (though it has been a few years, so dont get me to calculate anything)

dcolyer · 14 May 2007 at 11:14

when you push a pole - no matter how long, the molecules are not moving at the speed of light - even if the pole was moved at 1 mile per hour the communication would be instant.

It's not a matter of speed.

Zip · 14 May 2007 at 11:14

dcolyer said:
I guess you people and christians have a lot in common.

Its clear you havnt been here long

Gilly · 14 May 2007 at 11:15

dcolyer said:
when you push a pole - no matter how long, the molecules are not moving at the speed of light - even if the pole was moved at 1 mile per hour the communication would be instant.

No it wouldn't.

manoz · 14 May 2007 at 11:15

Gilly said:
Stuff? What stuff?

Ok that was misleading, by stuff, I meant waves not mass. Waves have already been pushed faster then the speed of light. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2796. It's only 4 times right now but think about the future

Dolcyer, I'm sure there would be a rippling effect in mass so there will be a delay.

Barbie · 14 May 2007 at 11:16

If the pole stretches from here to the sun (about 8 light minutes) and you push one end 1m, the other end will not move for 8 minutes, as it takes 8 minutes for light, and therefore the information that one end has been pushed, to reach the other end.

So, silly as it sounds, for 8 minutes the pole will be 1 meter shorter.

hendrix · 14 May 2007 at 11:17

dcolyer said:
when you push a pole - no matter how long, the molecules are not moving at the speed of light - even if the pole was moved at 1 mile per hour the communication would be instant.

It's not a matter of speed.

Pole moves at 1mph...it's not a matter of speed?

Awesome.

dcolyer · 14 May 2007 at 11:17

manoz said:
Ok that was misleading, by stuff, I meant waves not mass. Waves have already been pushed faster then the speed of light. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2796. It's only 4 times right now but think about the future

Dolcyer, I'm sure there would be a rippling effect in mass so there will be a delay.

EXACTLY think about the future.

Gilly · 14 May 2007 at 11:17

manoz said:
Ok that was misleading, by stuff, I meant waves not mass. Waves have already been pushed faster then the speed of light. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2796. It's only 4 times right now but think about the future

I still can't see solid objects managing it. Photons are limited by the speed of light IIRC, meaning the only matter we know of is limited by the speed of light.

This is a long way from my areas of expertise and is from memory, so I might not be 100% on this.

Col_M · 14 May 2007 at 11:17

You forgot compression of the pole too

Over X thousand/million miles any small displacement will probably just be absorbed by the compression of the pole as the atoms get closer together due to the applied force

You'd need a material which is infinitely stiff to make it work

Barbie · 14 May 2007 at 11:19

Even a perfectly indesructible, uncompressable solid pole would still be limited by relativity. The movement of the other end can not be instantaneous, relativity forbids it

Gilly · 14 May 2007 at 11:20

dcolyer said:
EXACTLY think about the future.

So you're basing wildly inaccurate theories from a misinformed perspective on nothing, and hoping that future scientific/mathematic discoveries and work will allow your theory to be viable?

Fair enough. Good luck with that.

Col_M said:
You'd need a material which is infinitely stiff to make it work

Yes, but think of the FUTURE!

hendrix · 14 May 2007 at 11:20

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_relativity#Time_dilation_and_length_contraction

Very helpful

Helium_Junkie · 14 May 2007 at 11:21

What on earth does religion have to do with this? We discount your theory because we're clearly just like Christians? :confused:

Sorry, but you lose credibility when you use something like that to defend your theory.

*passes you some more straws to clutch at*

Gilly · 14 May 2007 at 11:22

Helium_Junkie said:
Sorry, but you lose credibility when you use something like that to defend your theory.

He lost credibility when he posted his theory

and using a carrot to illustrate didn't help matters much either

dcolyer · 14 May 2007 at 11:24

People like you were the cause of the dark ages.

Stop critiquing my idea and improve it.

I have moved several carrots and let me assure you it works.

I dare you to go to the kitchen and move some carrots and observe the effects.

Helium_Junkie · 14 May 2007 at 11:25

I tried and my dog ate the carrot!!
Have you accounted for interstellar pole eating dogs?
I don't think you've fully thought this out at all.

Barbie · 14 May 2007 at 11:26

Sorry, but that has to be the best sig quote i've ever seen!

manoz · 14 May 2007 at 11:26

Barbie said:
Even a perfectly indesructible, uncompressable solid pole would still be limited by relativity. The movement of the other end can not be instantaneous, relativity forbids it

It's still a theory though isn't it?

Six6siX · 14 May 2007 at 11:27

dcolyer said:
People like you were the cause of the dark ages.

Stop critiquing my idea and improve it.

I have moved several carrots and let me assure you it works.

I dare you to go to the kitchen and move some carrots and observe the effects.

You moved the carrots and they did what? moved? I see...

And how can you compare a what, 6 inch? carrot to a million mile long pole of undetermined material?