Flummoxed by a 16 year old

[Zep 0]

A question by my son left me flummoxed.
My boy is studying engineering and mechanics.
Yesterday in our spare time we were working on a
old Nissan straight six engine that I'd put in a LandRover
when out of the blue he asked.

If an object moved at 90% of the speed of light in a vacuum
why would it's mass double, being that a vacuum provides
a frictionless environment.

Of course I was at a loss to answer him.

Gone fishing

[wmw999 2,589]

Mass and friction are unrelated. Mass can enter into the equation in a friction environment, but it's not the only driver -- otherwise skydiving would involve MUCH heavier equipment.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[BIGUN 1,488]

http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/2516/mass-of-particle-near-light-speed-in-a-medium

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[wayneflorida 0]

Landrover with a Staight six won't get to 90% speed of light, so it won't become a Hummer.

Hand me that hammer.

[Andy9o8 2]

It's because of the tachyon fields in the time-space continuum. As long as the wormhole is stable, the warp precisely offsets the mass.

I have the abacus calculations to prove it.

[airdvr 210]

All that won't matter once you hit 88 mph.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[dpreguy 14]

The hyperdrive flux capacitor was deficient of trillium crystals, and Scotty was unable to compensate with his intra molecular stabilizer in time to prevent the doubling of the mass.

[Rick 67]

Quote

The hyperdrive flux capacitor was deficient of trillium crystals, and Scotty was unable to compensate with his intra molecular stabilizer in time to prevent the doubling of the mass.

he should of just realigned the phase converters

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

[Skyrad 0]

Quote

It's because of the tachyon fields in the time-space continuum. As long as the wormhole is stable, the warp precisely offsets the mass.

I have the abacus calculations to prove it.

Don't listen to Andy Zep he is talking nonsense, its all to do with the gigawattage of the fluxcapacitor which of course is dependnet upon the quality of the dilithium crystals. But esentially its beyond the laws of physics.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[dpreguy 14]

....and to complicate matters, Maverick won't engage.

(this is too much fun)

[billvon 3,120]

>If an object moved at 90% of the speed of light in a vacuum why would it's mass double

Relativistic time contraction. Some other oddities of an object moving at 90% of the speed of light:

-an outside observer would see clocks on the vessel running more slowly

-an outside observer would see the ship start to get shorter (i.e. would contract in length)

-an outside observer would see a given thrust produce less change in speed than would be expected. This is explained by the increase in relativistic mass.

Even more oddly, the people on the object would not notice any difference.

>being that a vacuum provides a frictionless environment.

Not quite. At 90% of the speed of light friction with interstellar matter is a big stinking deal, although the risk is more destruction of the object rather than being slowed down. Several methods (magnetic fields, big ablative shields etc) can help prevent that - but once you add big shields friction _does_ become a factor and it's hard to maintain such a speed.

But that's unrelated to time contraction.

[Zep 0]

Quote

http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/2516/mass-of-particle-near-light-speed-in-a-medium

Thanks I wont pretend to understand it, maybe after my son's red it he'll explain it to me.

Gone fishing

[Zep 0]

Quote

It's because of the tachyon fields in the time-space continuum. As long as the wormhole is stable, the warp precisely offsets the mass.

I have the abacus calculations to prove it.

I did too but my daughter decided to turn them into a pretty necklace

Gone fishing