Which moves faster when you look up into the sky while on a date?

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zzzz

Diamond Member
Sep 1, 2000
5,498
1
76
Relative to the observer on earth, the moon will move faster irrespective to the speed of earth, as the clouds will move along with earth.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
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81
The question is meaningless, because per Einstein, all movement has to be relative to something else, and this has not been specified in the question.

-j
 

Jfur

Diamond Member
Jul 9, 2001
6,044
0
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<< I was just thinking, we're in Los Angeles, and the pollution is so bad that you don't see the clouds at night, but then I just realized that sometimes they DO appear... damnit :( >>



I remember glowing pink and orange night clouds :Q
 

yellowvespa

Senior member
Oct 9, 2001
216
0
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3rd post down hit it right on the head. The clouds appear to be moving faster from a visual standpoint but the moon is actually moving at a much (very much) faster rate.
 

911paramedic

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2002
9,448
1
76
Thats why he is teaching science, he looked up while on a date and she left, he had nothing else to do after that.

Why are you looking up in the first place!?
 

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
15,424
2
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<< "When you're on a date, and you're walking together and looking up at the sky, which is moving faster, the MOON, or the CLOUDS?" >>


i dunno but if you're going to get laid you better be moving faster than both of them.
 

bjb86s

Senior member
Aug 8, 2001
494
0
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<< The answer really depends upon where you choose as your fixed point. Since the fixed point would appear to be you as you stand on the surface of the earth, then the moon is easily moving with a greater velocity relative to you. As long as you mention that you are taking the person standing and looking at the clouds and the moon as the initial reference point, I don't see how you could be wrong to say that the moon is moving faster. Also, picking the person as the initial reference point conviently sidesteps the problem of figuring out whether the moon is travelling faster than the earth relative to the sun. Just disregard everything in parentheses unless you are rather impervious to confusion. (The moon is moving faster than the earth relative to the sun through half it's orbit, but through the other half of the moon's orbit it is moving more slowly than the earth relative to the sun, though there are two points at which the speed of the moon is exactly the same as the speed of the earth relative to the sun.) ZV >>



One question about reference/fixed point: If you interpret the problem verbatim, the oberserver is walking. Would this change the answer significantly?

I'm still curious as to why the date comes into play... why not just ask which moves faster?
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
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<< I'm still curious as to why the date comes into play... why not just ask which moves faster? >>



Does no one have a sense of humor or imagination? It's to dress up the story/question. It's one of those things your grandfather would pull on you as a kid.

;)
 

eyecandy

Senior member
Jun 5, 2001
411
0
0


<< OMG this whole place is filled with nerds. You never look up at the sky during a date unless she is also, and the correct answer is whatever she says it is. >>


Lol, good answer. Someone trained you well. :)
 

Atlantean

Diamond Member
May 2, 2001
5,296
1
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Moon would have the fastest speed, but is it the speed that you can see or the speed that is actually happening?
 

OrByte

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2000
9,303
144
106
This silly question deserves an equally silly response:

The answer is that if you are out on a date walking you are obviously looking down the girls blouse or at her rear..... looking up at the sky is completely out of the question.


I bet your prof. would appreciate your honesty....and besides, it was his question to ask....you are just giving him your honest response right?? :D
 

erikiksaz

Diamond Member
Nov 3, 1999
5,486
0
76
Chances are, since your professor threw in the whole "date" thing, i'd suspect the clouds, since a date only lasts for a few hours, on average. In a few hours, does the moon even move that much? -visually, i might add.
 

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
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the clouds are orbiting the sun at 67000 mph also. because they are on earth. they are all really moving the same speed. it depends on perspective.