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Faster than light centrifuge

Mark R

Diamond Member
So, lets assume that you have a rotor - perhaps, rather like on one a wind turbine.

The diameter of this rotor is extremely large (e.g. 10 ^ 9 metres). You gruadually begin to spin the rotor.

Now, at some point, the velocity at the tips of the blades are going to approach light speed.

So, if the rotor is large enough, and the material strong enough to provide the centripetal force, and there are no external forces what would happen as the rotor gradually increased in speed?
 
Originally posted by: Mark R
So, lets assume that you have a rotor - perhaps, rather like on one a wind turbine.

The diameter of this rotor is extremely large (e.g. 10 ^ 9 metres). You gruadually begin to spin the rotor.

Now, at some point, the velocity at the tips of the blades are going to approach light speed.

So, if the rotor is large enough, and the material strong enough to provide the centripetal force, and there are no external forces what would happen as the rotor gradually increased in speed?

relativity doesnt break down for angular momentum...it would still follow the same rules
 
Well , first of all it would have to be done in a vacuum since air resistance would never let you get that fast. But then I imagine heat would destroy the blades before it got that fast. Just my guess.
 
Short answer: the universe explodes.

Edit: There's no possibility of a material strong enough to withstand the forces involved. For the outside edge to travel at the speed of light, the rotor would have to be capable of supplying the centripital acceleration to an infinite mass. Not going to happen.
 
Originally posted by: dugweb
... this thread is now about steak

Ever been to a Brazillian steakhouse? Where the Gaucho's come out and carve succulent meat onto your plate? Texas De Brazil is AWESOME....the garlic encrusted filet, just a little pink, was excellent.
 
Originally posted by: pinion9
Originally posted by: dugweb
... this thread is now about steak

Ever been to a Brazillian steakhouse? Where the Gaucho's come out and carve succulent meat onto your plate? Texas De Brazil is AWESOME....the garlic encrusted filet, just a little pink, was excellent.

i prefer the lamb
 
Originally posted by: KDOG
Well , first of all it would have to be done in a vacuum since air resistance would never let you get that fast. But then I imagine heat would destroy the blades before it got that fast. Just my guess.

i dont think it would be heat that did it. If memory serves me correctly, the mass of the blades would increase the closer you got to the speed of light. They would get so massive, that the inertia of the blades would become so immense that no force could make them go any faster.
 
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: pinion9
Originally posted by: dugweb
... this thread is now about steak

Ever been to a Brazillian steakhouse? Where the Gaucho's come out and carve succulent meat onto your plate? Texas De Brazil is AWESOME....the garlic encrusted filet, just a little pink, was excellent.

i prefer the lamb

I had never tried lamb until I went there. It was actually quite good. Not my favorite meat, but very good! Their sausage was probably the best I ever had...
 
Originally posted by: pinion9
I had never tried lamb until I went there. It was actually quite good. Not my favorite meat, but very good! Their sausage was probably the best I ever had...

Oh, you like sausage eh? 😉
 
Originally posted by: letdown427
Originally posted by: pinion9
I had never tried lamb until I went there. It was actually quite good. Not my favorite meat, but very good! Their sausage was probably the best I ever had...

Oh, you like sausage eh? 😉

Yes. I like it when I bite into it and it squirts into my mou...HEY! Wait a minute! I like random animal parts ground up, seasoned, put into intestinal casing and cooked, not the OTHER sausage! Perv...

:Q
 
Originally posted by: msparish
Short answer: the universe explodes.

Edit: There's no possibility of a material strong enough to withstand the forces involved. For the outside edge to travel at the speed of light, the rotor would have to be capable of supplying the centripital acceleration to an infinite mass. Not going to happen.

/thread

(except for the steak)

 

Originally posted by: letdown427
Originally posted by: pinion9
I had never tried lamb until I went there. It was actually quite good. Not my favorite meat, but very good! Their sausage was probably the best I ever had...

Oh, you like sausage eh? 😉

Seriously though, let's get back on topic. This thread is not about sausage....






It is about steak! I suggest, if you do go to one of these steakhouses, to stay away from the salad bar. It is AWESOME! But I paid $40 for all you can eat steak, not lettuce and tasty crab bisque.
 
Originally posted by: swtethan
i could go for some quiznos right about now

Hey, if you are going to thread crap, do it elsewhere. I saw some Quiznos threads around here yesterday...

Unless Quiznos makes a succulent, tasty steak sammich. Then, we could discuss it (the sammich, not the restaurant.)
 
I was always curious, not about the speed of light of the thing, but of the bending of the arms. Assuming you had perfectly rigid arms, would relativity cause the inner portions of the arms to travel more slowly, thus making the arms appear to bend to an outside observer even though they'd be straight in space-time?
 
Originally posted by: pinion9
Originally posted by: swtethan
i could go for some quiznos right about now

Hey, if you are going to thread crap, do it elsewhere. I saw some Quiznos threads around here yesterday...

Unless Quiznos makes a succulent, tasty steak sammich. Then, we could discuss it (the sammich, not the restaurant.)

prime rib is like steak
 
there's no way u would be able to achieve anything near speed of light with any mechanical design... at least not with our tech now..
 
Originally posted by: So
I was always curious, not about the speed of light of the thing, but of the bending of the arms. Assuming you had perfectly rigid arms, would relativity cause the inner portions of the arms to travel more slowly, thus making the arms appear to bend to an outside observer even though they'd be straight in space-time?

...and my head just went BOOM.
 
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: pinion9
Originally posted by: swtethan
i could go for some quiznos right about now

Hey, if you are going to thread crap, do it elsewhere. I saw some Quiznos threads around here yesterday...

Unless Quiznos makes a succulent, tasty steak sammich. Then, we could discuss it (the sammich, not the restaurant.)

prime rib is like steak

I concede and any discussion of prime rib is allowed. OP, can you please change the title and summary of the thread please? You seem to have posted it wrong...

 
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: msparish
Short answer: the universe explodes.

Edit: There's no possibility of a material strong enough to withstand the forces involved. For the outside edge to travel at the speed of light, the rotor would have to be capable of supplying the centripital acceleration to an infinite mass. Not going to happen.

/thread

(except for the steak)

wouldnt be possible even in space? i dont feel like recalling physics and doing the calculations myself (feel free to post yours though 😉😛)
 
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