Faster than light communication

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of faster-than-light communication using a solid rod of steel. It concludes that any impulse transmitted through the rod travels at the speed of sound in that material, which is significantly slower than the speed of light. The inquiry about whether pushing one end of a rod would result in instantaneous movement at the other end is clarified, emphasizing that stretching and compressing occur, preventing any faster-than-light transmission. The final consensus is that no physical object can transmit information faster than light.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of wave propagation in solids
  • Knowledge of the speed of sound in materials
  • Familiarity with the principles of relativity
  • Basic physics concepts regarding force and motion
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the speed of sound in various materials
  • Explore the implications of Einstein's theory of relativity
  • Learn about wave mechanics and impulse transmission
  • Investigate the concept of information transfer limits in physics
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Physics students, engineers, and anyone interested in the fundamental limits of communication and information transfer in the context of relativity and material properties.

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Say I have a solid rod of steel and I push one end, does the other end move near instantaneously?

As an extreme, say I had a solid rod extending from two space stations very far apart, if I pushed the rod perfectly perpendicular to the face of the rod, would the time difference between when I pushed the rod and when the other end of the rod moved be less then it would take a beam of light to travel between stations(faster than light communication)? I know there is stretching and compressing that would occur but still...

This might be a stupid question, but I just thought about it and wanted to get an answer?
 
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Any impulse you send through any rod will travel at the speed of sound in that rod. While that may be thousands of miles per hour, its well below the speed of light.
 
I thought that would be the case, oh well. Thanks for the assistance
 

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