Macroscopic Objects at Relativistic Speed

In summary, the energy required to accelerate something the size of the space station to the same speed as protons colliding at the LHC would be roughly 80% of all the energy produced by the Sun in one second. Compare this to humanity's energy production, which would take approximately a million years to generate the same amount of energy.
  • #1
cjackson
39
0
How much energy would be required to accelerate something the size of the space station to the same speed as protons colliding at the LHC?
 
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  • #2
Have you tried making the computation?
 
  • #3
Frankly, I don't know how.
 
  • #4
Do you know how to compute kinetic (or total) energy in relativity?

How would the ratio of the proton and ISS energies look in classical mechanics?
 
  • #5
I have no idea.
 
  • #6
What is your physics background? Without knowing more about where you are at and where you need to go, it is difficult to help you. Of course, we could simply give you the final result, but that is not the kind of spirit we are trying to foster, which is to help people think for themselves rather than to simply provide answers.
 
  • #7
I have no physics background.
 
  • #8
If you have no physics background, it would help to know what kind of answer you are looking for. If we told you "ten zillion ergs", would that be meaningful?
 
  • #9
How much greater would the energy requirement be than what humanity has ever generated up to this point? Something like that.
 
  • #10
It would require roughly 80% of all of the energy produced by the Sun in one second. The Sun produces roughly 1014 times the world electricity production. With current energy production rate, it would take of the order of a million years to generate this amount of energy.
 
  • #11
cjackson said:
How much greater would the energy requirement be than what humanity has ever generated up to this point? Something like that.

Wouldn't you rather learn a little bit about special relativity, the foundation of this knowledge, rather than having this piece of useless information? I bet that you won't even get to use this information on Jeopardy!

Zz.
 
Last edited:

1. What is the definition of "relativistic speed"?

Relativistic speed is any speed that is a significant fraction of the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second.

2. How do macroscopic objects reach relativistic speeds?

Macroscopic objects can reach relativistic speeds through various means, such as being propelled by powerful engines or being accelerated by gravitational forces in space.

3. Can macroscopic objects travel faster than the speed of light?

No, according to Einstein's theory of relativity, it is impossible for any object with mass to travel at the speed of light or faster. As an object approaches the speed of light, its mass and energy increase infinitely, making it impossible to reach the speed of light.

4. What are the effects of traveling at relativistic speeds on macroscopic objects?

At relativistic speeds, the length and time intervals of a moving object will appear to be shorter and slower to an outside observer. This phenomenon is known as time dilation and length contraction. Additionally, the object's mass will also increase, making it more difficult to accelerate.

5. Are there any practical applications for studying macroscopic objects at relativistic speeds?

Yes, studying macroscopic objects at relativistic speeds is crucial for understanding the behavior of particles and objects in extreme conditions, such as in space or during particle collisions. This knowledge can also aid in the development of technologies, such as particle accelerators and spacecraft propulsion systems.

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