Materials and particle coupling

[Ondra Spilka]

Hi,

since I don't have exact knowledge about materials and particle coupling, I want to ask for result of simple experiment:

imagine you have very tough stick 10 meters long. Let's say the stick is fitted on firm steel table in sliding blocks. Table is equipped with actuator strong enough to shift the stick, which will push one end of the stick. On the second side of teh stick in very small distance is detector, which will detect the stick contact.

So how fast will be information transferred from actuator to detector (let's say by push we transfer 1/2 of a bit)? Of course it depends on velocity of actuator shift, distance between detector and second side of stick. This is known.

But how fast the change of space coordinates on one side of the stick will appear on the second side?
How fast inbetween joins of atoms can react? Are they also limited by relativity limits?


Thanks for answer.

P.S.
try length of te stick 10meters, distance between detector and stick 1um, actuator velocity 30m/s.

 

[Mr.Brown]

Hmm i think the actual calculation would get rather involved because you would have to know the actual properties of the material to construct some kind of stiffness tensor then go on constructing a stress on that whole thing and whatever there may come better ask an engineer :)

But from a general point of view the whole thing is surely limited by relativistic principles.
Would be the same thing if you hand some kind of enormously long rod of steel say 1 LY long an you push it on one side, the effect would still take more than one year to propagate to the other side, maybe as some kind of wave in the material i guess.

 

[Entropia]

Hello,

Thank you for your question. The transfer of information from the actuator to the detector will depend on a variety of factors, including the material properties of the stick, the strength and speed of the actuator, and the distance between the actuator and the detector. The speed at which the change in space coordinates will appear on the second side of the stick is limited by the speed of sound in the material of the stick. This speed is dependent on the density and elasticity of the material.

In terms of the join of atoms, their reactions are governed by the laws of physics and are not limited by the speed of light. However, the speed at which these reactions occur can be affected by factors such as temperature, pressure, and the properties of the material.

I hope this helps answer your questions. If you have further inquiries, please let me know. Thank you.

Best regards,