Would a Conveyor Belt from Earth to Mars Have a Time Delay?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter nbj622
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Belt Conveyor Mars
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical scenario of a conveyor belt extending from Earth to Mars and the implications of relativity on the time it would take for movement to be observed at the opposing end. The scope includes theoretical considerations of physics and the propagation of motion through materials.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether the movement of the conveyor belt would be instantaneous or subject to delays due to relativity.
  • Another participant asserts that even in an ideal scenario, the movement would be slowed down due to the propagation of motion being limited by the speed of electromagnetic forces, which obey relativity.
  • A subsequent post speculates that if the conveyor belt were activated, it would take about 8 minutes for movement to be observed on Mars, based on the time light takes to travel that distance.
  • A later reply corrects this estimate, stating that the disturbance would actually propagate at the speed of sound in the material of the conveyor belt, implying a significantly longer time frame for movement to be detected on Mars.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of the delay in movement propagation, with some suggesting a delay based on electromagnetic forces and others emphasizing the speed of sound in the material. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact timing and nature of the delay.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not clarify the specific material properties of the conveyor belt or the assumptions regarding its construction, which may affect the speed of sound and the propagation of motion.

nbj622
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Consider a very long conveyor belt from Earth to Mars. If we turned on the conveyor belt from Earth, would its opposing end instantly move on Mars? Or would the timing be slowed somehow from relativity? Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Yes, assuming it's frictionless and everything perfect, it would still be slowed down. The movement of the conveyor is the atoms in the conveyor belt moving and this movement is basically propagated by the electromagnetic force, which of course is not an instantaneous force and obeys relativity.
 
So if I turned it on, it would take about 8 minutes to just start moving on Mars?
 
nbj622 said:
So if I turned it on, it would take about 8 minutes to just start moving on Mars?

Actually I should have mentioned this in the first post. The disturbance would propagate at the speed of sound in the material. So it would take far far far longer than that. Physical disturbances travel at the speed of sound in the material
 
thanks!
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Analyzing Time Dilation in a Spaceship-Mars Scenario
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
Undergrad Is There a Better Model for the Relationship Between Friction and Velocity?
  • · Replies 63 ·
3
Replies
63
Views
5K
Undergrad 4 spaceships are pulling a membrane through an asteroid belt
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
1K
What happens to a ball placed on a moving conveyor belt?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
High School Does the fact that gravity moves at the speed of light affect how planets move?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Projected Block and Conveyor Belt
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Box on a conveyor belt (friction)
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
9K
Ordovician mass extinction second wave - deep sea anoxia
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Undergrad Quantum Ball and Cup - Thought Experiment
  • · Replies 94 ·
4
Replies
94
Views
9K
Graduate Help - Speed of Light: Get Answers to Your Questions
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K