NASA My rough idea on a near light drive

[MoistOxi]

TL;DR

Lets just get straight into it. Think of a big trash can with a 10 kg weight inside, Now if you were too throw the weight at one side of the trash can it would move the can, now let's think of that in space. If you had a large cylinder with a rod in the middle. On that said rod is an object that can change its mass, that object can be slid across said rod too either side, doing the same think but in micro gravity making it accelerate constantly with each pound. Now I know this is not perfect.

Please add too this idea.

 

[DaveC426913]

Sorry. No motion of a weight inside your trash can will induce exterior movement in the trash can/weight system.

Think about this: how will you get your 10kg weight moving in the first place? You'll need to create friction with the trash can to move the weight forward. That will push the trash can backwards.

 

[berkeman]

Summary:: Let's just get straight into it. Think of a big trash can with a 10 kg weight inside, Now if you were too throw the weight at one side of the trash can it would move the can, now let's think of that in space. If you had a large cylinder with a rod in the middle. On that said rod is an object that can change its mass, that object can be slid across said rod too either side, doing the same think but in micro gravity making it accelerate constantly with each pound. Now I know this is not perfect.

Please add too this idea.

Read up on the subject of Conservation of Momentum in an Isolated System and you will see where you are going wrong. It's a common misconception by folks who are new to science.

 

[MoistOxi]

Sorry. No motion of a weight inside your trash can will induce exterior movement in the trash can/weight system.

Think about this: how will you get your 10kg weight moving in the first place? You'll need to create friction with the trash can to move the weight forward. That will push the trash can backwards.

The weight would move back and forth, it would accelerate and decelerate but the acceleration forward would yield a higher speed by a small amount many times creating a slow acceleration. (If this doesn't fix it, I accept my defeat as others are more scientifically erudite.)

 

[berkeman]

(If this doesn't fix it, I accept my defeat as others are more scientifically erudite.)

No it doesn't fix it. Try doing the search I suggested, and here is the Wikipedia article to get you started:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum#Conservation

 

[russ_watters]

This is a "reactionless drive" style device, similar to a perpetual motion machine. It isn't possible, and in addition to violating the laws of physics, it is against PF guidelines. More information here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactionless_drive

Thread locked.