GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Ask questions, find resources, browse the virtual shelves.
Post Reply

Will the free end of the pole exceed the speed of light?

You may select 1 option

 
 
View results

User avatar
RJN
Baffled Boffin
Posts: 1667
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: Michigan Tech

GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by RJN » Wed Jun 02, 2010 3:18 pm

Guess the Result of the Experiment of the Day (GRED): The Twirling Pole Paradox

You hold a really long pole -- for example one light year long. You are out in space. You hold one end of this pole firmly to your stomach with the pole pointing out, and then you spin around in a circle. Therefore the free end of the pole makes a complete circle, with you at the center of the circle. Say it takes you 10 seconds to do this. Does the speed of the free end go faster than the speed of light?

Please do NOT post any answers or comments with spoilers here. Answers and comments with spoilers are encouraged in GRED Answer post here: http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 30&t=19643 . Please check back there later -- what I believe to be the correct answer will be posted there a few days after this initial post.

Comments or questions here -- without spoilers -- are OK. In particular, questions about the experimental setup are OK.

Nancy Lou
Asternaut
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by Nancy Lou » Thu Jun 03, 2010 8:00 pm

I'm a professional musician and educator. I LOVE these questions that I find on APOD. Sometimes, I even may have the answer correct!
Thank you for helping to keep my old brain sharp!
:D

Jay Mack

Re: GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by Jay Mack » Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:16 pm

The poser does not specify the speed of light in relation to what. Speed is relative.

Beta
Ensign
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 3:39 pm

Re: GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by Beta » Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:23 pm

Jay Mack wrote:The poser does not specify the speed of light in relation to what. Speed is relative.
Actually, the speed of light is the one speed that isn't relative.

Nurse Mike

Re: GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by Nurse Mike » Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:21 pm

Can we assume the pole is a "standard" pole, or does it have infinite rigidity?

Einstien

Re: GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by Einstien » Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:51 pm

The question doesn't seem to make sense.
If it is given that it took 10 seconds to spin around, the pole must have moved in a 1-lt-yr arc. (That's C = pi*D = pi*2-lt-yr) That's pretty fast!
If this is given, then the pole spun around and did not break and made the arc. Given.

Answer a) asks if it doesn't violate any laws....wha?! Of course it does, so this must be wrong.
Answer b) states that the pole can't go faster than the speed of light...which it can't...but, IT JUST DID in the given part of the problem!..so this must be wrong.
Answer c) is correct by the process of elimination.

User avatar
RJN
Baffled Boffin
Posts: 1667
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: Michigan Tech

Re: GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by RJN » Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:52 pm

Nurse Mike wrote:Can we assume the pole is a "standard" pole, or does it have infinite rigidity?
Assume the pole is made of a very sturdy solid material.

User avatar
jman
Ensign
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:31 pm
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Re: GRED: Twirling pole paradox

Post by jman » Fri Jun 04, 2010 1:58 pm

It's a Festivus Pole. Very high strength-to-weight ratio

Post Reply