Speed of Wire faster than Speed of Light?

This means that the resulting movement on Mars would not be faster than the speed of light, as the speed of sound is much slower than the speed of light. In summary, the movement of a wire pulled from Earth to Mars would be limited by the speed of sound in the wire, which is much slower than the speed of light.
  • #1
ooloo
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Speed of Wire faster than Speed of Light?

Question:

All planetary motion and gravity effects, etc. aside... if I had the capability of pulling a wire taut from Mars to Earth, keeping it in tension, and then pull on that wire while I stood on Earth, wouldn't the resulting movement of that wire viewed on Mars be faster than the speed of light. Is there anything which would limit the amount of time it would take to observe the resulting movement on Mars?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

John in Brooklyn, NY
 
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  • #2


The stiffness of the wire, there are lots of ways of violating elatively if you allow infinitely stiff materials.
The speed a tug travels through a wire is the speed of sound in the wire, this is high ( a few km/s in steel) but lessthan the speed of light.
 
  • #3


The transmission of movement along your wire would be at the speed of sound for whatever material your wire was made from.
 

1. How can the speed of wire be faster than the speed of light?

The speed of light is considered to be the fastest speed in the universe, so it may seem impossible for anything to be faster. However, the speed of light refers to the speed at which electromagnetic waves travel in a vacuum. In a wire, electrons are the ones moving, and they can move at different speeds depending on the material and conditions.

2. Is it possible for information to travel faster than the speed of light through a wire?

No, it is not possible for information to travel faster than the speed of light through a wire. This is because the speed at which the electrons move in a wire is still limited by the speed of light. Even though the electrons may move faster, the information they carry cannot exceed the speed of light.

3. What factors affect the speed of wire?

The speed of wire can be affected by various factors, including the material of the wire, the temperature, and the presence of any obstacles or resistance in the wire. In general, thicker wires made of highly conductive materials can carry electrons faster than thinner wires or wires made of less conductive materials.

4. Can the speed of wire ever reach the speed of light?

No, the speed of wire cannot reach the speed of light. As mentioned before, even if the electrons in a wire move at a high speed, they are still limited by the speed of light. Additionally, as the electrons move through the wire, they encounter resistance which slows them down.

5. Are there any potential applications for the speed of wire being faster than the speed of light?

Currently, there are no practical applications for the speed of wire being faster than the speed of light. However, scientists are constantly researching and developing new materials and technologies that may allow for faster transmission of information through wires in the future.

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