suppose u r told that the linear size of everything in this universe has been doubled overnight.
Can u test this statement by measuring sizes with a metre stick ?
Can u test it by using the fact that the speed of light is universal constant and has not changed?
What will happen if all the clocks in the universe will aso start running at half the speed.
2006-07-22 08:05:21 · 9 answers · asked by omsandip 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
This is a piece of cake.
Lets say we have been observing a binary system of stars, and we knew them to be two million miles apart. Now if we can trust that -all- distances have doubled, we will be at a loss for a way to directly measure the change, and indeed, we measure the distance to be two million miles.
As scientists, we know that our measuring devices (in this case, instruments to collect photons) decrease in power on a linear basis, and so cannot aid us. However, we also know that there are other effects which decrease in power as the square of the length of seperation. In fact, all of the four forces act in this way.
Most importantly, we know that if the distance between two bodies has doubled, the gravitational attraction between them has decreased by a factor of four! (that's 2^2)
Logically, these two stars will drift away from one another, since the gravitational attraction that was holding them in thier orbit's has decreased. By simple observation, we can confirm that the distance between all points has doubled in magnitude.
2006-07-22 08:20:45 · answer #1 · answered by Argon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since the linear size of EVERYTHING has doubled overnight, you wont be able to tell the difference and i doubt that you'd be able to measure it. EVERYTHING has doubled. so there is no way to tell the difference; you still percieve everything as the same size relative to you. The meter stick would also have doubled. It would still be a meter to you but to someone who was not affected, it would be a 2m-rule.
The rest are too big a conundrum for me to even attempt answering.
2006-07-22 08:12:37 · answer #2 · answered by Kish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think your "speed of light" solution is the best approach at our disposal... moreover, distance is pretty much measured, at this point in time for humanity, via "redshift" so the relative speed of our clocks should matter little or not at all.
By the way, "Kish" is wrong in that "doubling everything" doesn't maintain "proportionality" as well. Argon approaches the most viable answer of your previous posters... Again, "proportionality" is the key.
2006-07-22 08:47:54 · answer #3 · answered by cherodman4u 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry. If everything in the universe doubles in all dimensions, that means so will meter sticks. Since all the increases are proportional, nobody will notice.
2006-07-22 09:17:28 · answer #4 · answered by SteveA8 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you mean even energy? Because if atoms have doubled but a photon is the "old" size, then you could easily tell the difference.
2006-07-22 08:18:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We would never know without a reference, and it would make no difference to us.
2006-07-22 08:09:10 · answer #6 · answered by helixburger 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I will be able mto sleep longer
2006-07-22 09:17:40 · answer #7 · answered by tjc 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too tough for me.
2006-07-22 08:07:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
so thats ur question eh???!!
well.......but i am sure E=mc2
2006-07-22 08:20:52 · answer #9 · answered by b4u_abdul 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋