Saidit, what's your favorite fun fact?

submitted by Hellojoshua from self.AskSaidIt

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[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Want something which will really screw with your mind? https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/21122/if-i-move-a-long-solid-stick-can-i-send-message-fastest-than-light.

Turns out that the atoms in the stick move as a matter wave with a speed limited by the speed of light, with the surprising consequence that the rigidity of a material is limited by the speed of light.

[–]magnora7 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Yeah the shock wave moves down the stick at the speed of sound in that material. In extremely rigid materials the speed of sound approaches the speed of light, but can never surpass it.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

It's why a perfectly rigid material is impossible.

[–]magnora7 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Good point. I suppose anything that's "material" and has rest mass can't travel at the speed of light by definition