Ok, assume Im a being so large that the galaxy you live in (The Milky Way) would be the distance from the tip of my index finger to the base of my index finger. (I know that this is an insanely large, being but whatever)
Now, if I were to hold my index finger next to the Milky Way and move it from one end of the galaxy to the other, I would have moved a HUGE distance. (I dont know the actual distance) Both to me and the people in the galaxy. (However, this distance wouldnt feel small to me, but it would if I take it relative to those in the milky way)
Because Im so big it would take me only a matter of a half a second to move that distance. However, it takes light thousands of years to move that distance. How is my finger not moving at speeds over the speed of light? (Which we know to be impossible) So if my finger and a beam of light started moving at the same time from one side of the galaxy to the other, I would win. How is this possible? I must be missing something obvious...
2006-10-25 07:36:43 · 14 answers · asked by James 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
That would be theoretically impossible, I guess. Forget moving your finger. For a being that large, the speed it would take for your brain to send a signal to your fingertip to move would be virtually impossible. That is to say if we think of such beings as physical beings. If it was a non-physical entity (such as a spirit or something) then they would not be confined to space-time and therefore not contained by the limited speed of light maximum speed cos c=square root of (E/m) and they do not have mass.
2006-10-25 07:49:53 · answer #1 · answered by Stormbringer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You would both win and not win. Time and speed are relative to the observer. Assume that you and a friend are on a train going 100 mph. You are playing catch with a ball, and the ball travels 5 mph between the two of you. You see the ball going 5 mph, but somebody watching the train sees the ball going 95 to 105 mph, depending on the ball's direction of travel.
As the speed of light is approached, time slows down for the traveler in relation to an outside observer. Your finger would move so fast that it seems like a half-second to you, but we would see a huge fingertip taking thousands upon thousands of years to get across the galaxy. Just one of those quirks about relativity.
2006-10-25 10:14:14 · answer #2 · answered by furball17 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, you made up a stupid scenario that lets you go the speed of light. Anyone can do that. Suppose the speed of light is equal to how fast I can run, doesn't that mean I am moving the speed of light? Hypotheticals make no difference, the only thing that matters is what actually happens. If that 'huge' being actually existed, none of our understanding of physics and the universe would make sense, but since that is not the case, my little brother just asked me how I'm sure that gravity pulls us down, rather than pushes us, so I need to go deal with that.
2006-10-25 07:41:02 · answer #3 · answered by pdigoe 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I won't discount your scenario. They're is no reason to assume such a large being couldn't exist. However, the flaw in your logic comes with moving your fingers. The energy required to even get your fingers moving at the speed of light is infinite because you have mass in your fingers. You couldn't even move them that fast. Only something without mass could even reach the speed of light (in fact, it would be required to move at the speed of light).
Translate that to this: You would be unable to move your fingers as fast as you describe. You'd be more like the giant that takes forever to take one step (granted, the distance covered in that step would be incredible). Your body would still have to obey physical laws no matter what size you were.
2006-10-25 08:10:46 · answer #4 · answered by amulekbird 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's all relative isn't it. Isn't that the basic principle behind relativity?
Plus what you define the speed of light is not the same as for a human. You are assuming the conditions remain the same for a larger person when it may not. And the sonic booms you should hear, may not be audible to the ears for the larger person. And........
You went up but, what if there existed a small universe which we know exists, atoms, etc. And......
Something to think about or just enjoy life. You got too much time on your hands. LOL
2006-10-25 07:51:12 · answer #5 · answered by gbdelta1954 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
When you get to be that big your finger no longer moves as a rigid object. Motions will travel through your finger propelling it in waves. You would not be able to move your finger "instantly" and it would not travel faster than the speed of light.
2006-10-25 09:43:40 · answer #6 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously this prove the fact that physics is only relative in the human vacuum. There is no proven way to state what the fastest something can travel, what the largest object is because a human mind can not comprehend something that never ends.
2006-10-25 07:56:40 · answer #7 · answered by jbjansen6 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whats really gonna "bake your noodle" is how do we apply that to the attempt to travel at the speed of light.
What do we do, build a giant spaceship the size of a galaxy?
2006-10-25 15:14:37 · answer #8 · answered by 12ated12 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We know light exists... we know it's speed. We don't know the mysterious giant being you mention exists.
With that said, I don't particularly believe that the speed of light is a barrier. Now I am inviting people to accuse me of refuting Einstein. But prior to the 1940's, most scientists believed that the speed of sound was a barrier.
2006-10-25 07:43:27 · answer #9 · answered by Telesto 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes. your missing IF
if your shoe exploded at the same time you moved your finger. then the buttons on your fleece jacket would turn into UFO's and invade mars, KILLING EVERYONE THERE.
you're blowing things out of porportion.
if you traveled faster than light which is impossible. then a train left chicago headed south at 55 mph and a jet left dr phils left earlobe headed up at 2mph.
none of its connected in any remote possible existance.
so its all tripe.
2006-10-25 07:46:26 · answer #10 · answered by seanachie60 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋