Can Two Airships Achieve Superluminal Speed with Elastic Material?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of whether two airships moving at relativistic speeds can achieve superluminal separation through an elastic material connecting them. Participants explore the implications of relativistic speeds on the behavior of points along the elastic material.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that if two airships, A and B, are moving at 0.6c in opposite directions, points on an elastic material connecting them could be moving faster than light.
  • Another participant counters this by applying the relativistic velocity addition formula, indicating that the separation speed would be 0.88c, which is still less than the speed of light.
  • A similar viewpoint is reiterated by another participant, who emphasizes that the maximum speed of any part of the elastic material would be limited to the speed of the airships, which is 0.6c, and notes that a point at the center of the elastic material remains stationary when pulled.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus, as there are competing views regarding the behavior of the elastic material and the implications of relativistic speeds.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the behavior of points along the elastic material under relativistic conditions and the application of relativistic velocity addition.

Strategiest
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If we have two airships going at speed 0.6c in the opposite directions. then they will be separated at a speed higher than light.

let's name the airships , A and B
My question is , Let's say we have the two airships pull an elastic material.
take a point of the material on Airship A name it a , and a point on airship B. name it b. if they go at a speed close to light , then point a and b will be going at a speed faster than light ?

If so. then shouldn't all the points on the elastic material be going at a speed faster than light ?
 
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You don't add relativistic speeds in the same way you do with everyday speeds.

[tex]V = \frac{v+u}{1+\frac{uv}{c^{2}}}[/tex]

Let v = 0.6c and u = 0.6c, that gives V = 0.88c, so they aren't moving apart at a speed greater than light, but less than light.
 
Besides...
Strategiest said:
If we have two airships going at speed 0.6c in the opposite directions. then they will be separated at a speed higher than light.

let's name the airships , A and B
My question is , Let's say we have the two airships pull an elastic material.
take a point of the material on Airship A name it a , and a point on airship B. name it b. if they go at a speed close to light , then point a and b will be going at a speed faster than light ?
If the spacecraft are going .6C, then quite obviously, the fastest any part of the material will be going is .6C - right where it is connected to a spacecraft .

And...
If so. then shouldn't all the points on the elastic material be going at a speed faster than light ?
Also quite obviously, a point at the center of an elastic band is stationary wrt where the stretching started. Try it with a broken rubber band - put a mark at the center and pull the ends apart. The mark doesn't ever move.
 
Thank you.
 

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