Comments on: Baseball at relativistic speeds and other wild hypotheticals http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 19:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Eric Hill http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1476190 Eric Hill Fri, 13 Jul 2012 07:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1476190 Further calculation gives around 10^21 nucleus on nucleus collisions between the mound and the plate--about 1 in 2500 nuclei over the given volume. At 9/10 c, the kinetic energy is more than 800MeV / nucleon--much more than the nuclear binding energy, so the nuclei would be blasted apart, RHIC-style. Further calculation gives around 10^21 nucleus on nucleus collisions between the mound and the plate–about 1 in 2500 nuclei over the given volume. At 9/10 c, the kinetic energy is more than 800MeV / nucleon–much more than the nuclear binding energy, so the nuclei would be blasted apart, RHIC-style.

]]> By: hypnosifl http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475976 hypnosifl Fri, 13 Jul 2012 02:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475976 What percentage of the particles making up the ball would just fly straight out of the Earth's atmosphere and into space, though? I wonder if the percentage might be fairly close to 100%, in which case it could be that significantly less than 4 megatons of energy would be converted into heat and light on Earth, and the effects might not actually be as disastrous as Randall suggests. Also, the energy lost as heat and light might be spread out over a long path within the atmosphere rather than concentrated around the point where the ball begins to move at 0.9c. What percentage of the particles making up the ball would just fly straight out of the Earth’s atmosphere and into space, though? I wonder if the percentage might be fairly close to 100%, in which case it could be that significantly less than 4 megatons of energy would be converted into heat and light on Earth, and the effects might not actually be as disastrous as Randall suggests. Also, the energy lost as heat and light might be spread out over a long path within the atmosphere rather than concentrated around the point where the ball begins to move at 0.9c.

]]> By: Chris Dias http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475942 Chris Dias Fri, 13 Jul 2012 02:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475942 Superman can go the speed of light while in outerspace, because there's almost no air resistance. As for racing the Flash, that was for charity. The Flash on the other hand can walk through walls, so him being able to move nearly the speed of light in-atmosphere would make slightly more sense. Superman can go the speed of light while in outerspace, because there’s almost no air resistance. As for racing the Flash, that was for charity.

The Flash on the other hand can walk through walls, so him being able to move nearly the speed of light in-atmosphere would make slightly more sense.

]]> By: Eric Hill http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475737 Eric Hill Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475737 I think the fusion part is exaggerated here, and that most of the energy exchanged would be in electromagnetic scattering of the nuclei rather than nuclear interactions. The nuclei only take up a minute fraction of the volume of their host atoms, after all.  Approximating the molecular makeup of the ball by something between wax and sugar, at 44mm diameter, it's effective nuclear area is only about 375 micrometers^2. The column of air at 80% N2 and 20% O2 only presents a cross section of around 50 micrometers^2. I'm pretty sure that the nuclei would largely pass each other by over a mere 18 meters of flight. The result wouldn't be much less spectacular. The ball would pass through the batter and the stands before their bodies realized they'd been scheduled to explode. No one would have time to notice though. I think the fusion part is exaggerated here, and that most of the energy exchanged would be in electromagnetic scattering of the nuclei rather than nuclear interactions. The nuclei only take up a minute fraction of the volume of their host atoms, after all.  Approximating the molecular makeup of the ball by something between wax and sugar, at 44mm diameter, it’s effective nuclear area is only about 375 micrometers^2. The column of air at 80% N2 and 20% O2 only presents a cross section of around 50 micrometers^2. I’m pretty sure that the nuclei would largely pass each other by over a mere 18 meters of flight. The result wouldn’t be much less spectacular. The ball would pass through the batter and the stands before their bodies realized they’d been scheduled to explode. No one would have time to notice though.

]]> By: Bruce http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475412 Bruce Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475412 While that's true in theory, in practice the context in which a batter's effort or lack thereof to avoid being hit is often taken into consideration by umps: speed and movement of pitch, lighting (see Ray Chapman's death), etc. While that’s true in theory, in practice the context in which a batter’s effort or lack thereof to avoid being hit is often taken into consideration by umps: speed and movement of pitch, lighting (see Ray Chapman’s death), etc.

]]> By: perch http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475389 perch Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475389 Whoops, I meant 4 megaton /equivalent/ of TNT. So, plop a sphere of plutonium or whatever they use into a /really good/ cannon, ram a baseball down there, and... stand back. Whoops, I meant 4 megaton /equivalent/ of TNT. So, plop a sphere of plutonium or whatever they use into a /really good/ cannon, ram a baseball down there, and… stand back.

]]> By: agthorn1981 http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475372 agthorn1981 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475372  The SAT one annoyed me, because you don't lose points for leaving answers blank. You get +1 point for a correct answer, -0.25 point for an incorrect answer, and 0 points for a blank answer.  The SAT one annoyed me, because you don’t lose points for leaving answers blank. You get +1 point for a correct answer, -0.25 point for an incorrect answer, and 0 points for a blank answer.

]]> By: 100_billion_planets http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475330 100_billion_planets Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475330 How cool :) How cool :)

]]> By: Erik Charles Tillmans http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475301 Erik Charles Tillmans Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475301 This pretty much happened once, but it was only .8c http://youtu.be/FtjZhLC8Ibg This pretty much happened once, but it was only .8c
http://youtu.be/FtjZhLC8Ibg

]]> By: Ian Anthony http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475272 Ian Anthony Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475272 Or it was the first sentence of the analysis: "Let’s set aside the question of how we got the baseball moving that fast. We'll suppose it's a normal pitch, except in the instant the pitcher releases the ball, it magically accelerates to 0.9c." Or it was the first sentence of the analysis: “Let’s set aside the question of how we got the baseball moving that fast. We’ll suppose it’s a normal pitch, except in the instant the pitcher releases the ball, it magically accelerates to 0.9c.”

]]> By: MTBooks http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475268 MTBooks Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475268 "How fast do you have to throw a burrito so it catches fire?" http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/uw3lk/iama_physicistauthor_ask_me_to_calculate_anything/c4z37gt  “How fast do you have to throw a burrito so it catches fire?”

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/uw3lk/iama_physicistauthor_ask_me_to_calculate_anything/c4z37gt 

]]> By: starcadian http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475226 starcadian Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475226  There's no frying in baseball.  There’s no frying in baseball.

]]> By: Gary61 http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475169 Gary61 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475169 "There's no plasma in baseball ... there's NO PLASMA in baseball!" “There’s no plasma in baseball … there’s NO PLASMA in baseball!”

]]> By: 100_billion_planets http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475144 100_billion_planets Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475144 I always wondered how fast you would have to throw an egg into a frying pan to generate enough frictional heat to have an instant omelette. The egg is assumed to stay inside the pan. Likewise, how fast do you have to throw an egg in the air to generate enough aerodynamic friction to have it boiled upon landing? Mach 3? I always wondered how fast you would have to throw an egg into a frying pan to generate enough frictional heat to have an instant omelette. The egg is assumed to stay inside the pan.

Likewise, how fast do you have to throw an egg in the air to generate enough aerodynamic friction to have it boiled upon landing? Mach 3?

]]> By: gypsydoctor http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475134 gypsydoctor Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475134 The analysis did not take into account how the ball was accelerated to its super speed. What happened with the pitcher's arm, and how much force did he need to use to throw and keep a grip on the ball as it accelerated? The analysis did not take into account how the ball was accelerated to its super speed. What happened with the pitcher’s arm, and how much force did he need to use to throw and keep a grip on the ball as it accelerated?

]]> By: Sigmund_Jung http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475075 Sigmund_Jung Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475075 Isn't it time we give Randall some Pulitzer or something? Guy is amazing. Isn’t it time we give Randall some Pulitzer or something? Guy is amazing.

]]> By: MarcVader http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475016 MarcVader Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475016  Yup, my point exactly.  Yup, my point exactly.

]]> By: digi_owl http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475006 digi_owl Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475006 Well the question was about 90% of light speed... Well the question was about 90% of light speed…

]]> By: digi_owl http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1475005 digi_owl Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1475005 A interstellar kinetic weapon, nice... A interstellar kinetic weapon, nice…

]]> By: StreetEight http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474992 StreetEight Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474992  "Jamie, here's what I've been thinking about..."  ”Jamie, here’s what I’ve been thinking about…”

]]> By: tnmc http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474908 tnmc Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474908 I believe I have spotted a flaw.  The article states: "It [the shock wave] hits the bat first, but then the batter, plate, and catcher are all scooped up and carried backward through the backstop as they disintegrate." Earlier however it states: "The batter hasn't even seen the pitcher let go of the ball, since the light carrying that information arrives at about the same time the ball does."  Unless this was an attempted bunt, I cannot possibly see how the remains of the ball and could have hit the bat first. I believe I have spotted a flaw. 

The article states: “It [the shock wave] hits the bat first, but then the batter, plate, and catcher are all scooped up and carried backward through the backstop as they disintegrate.”

Earlier however it states: “The batter hasn’t even seen the pitcher let go of the ball, since the light carrying that information arrives at about the same time the ball does.” 

Unless this was an attempted bunt, I cannot possibly see how the remains of the ball and could have hit the bat first.

]]> By: MarcVader http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474890 MarcVader Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474890 I thought from the outset, 0.9c is ridiculous overkill. Even at 'just' 0.1c the energies involved would be [insert big adjective]. I thought from the outset, 0.9c is ridiculous overkill. Even at ‘just’ 0.1c the energies involved would be [insert big adjective].

]]> By: MarcVader http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474889 MarcVader Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474889  Isn't that a body fluid? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humorism#Four_humors  Isn’t that a body fluid? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humorism#Four_humors

]]> By: David Evans http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474876 David Evans Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474876 Unfortunately most of the energy would go into accelerating the mass of the TNT itself. So, not very fast - at most a few km/s. Unless you use the TNT as fuel to generate electricity and drive a linear accelerator. Unfortunately most of the energy would go into accelerating the mass of the TNT itself. So, not very fast – at most a few km/s. Unless you use the TNT as fuel to generate electricity and drive a linear accelerator.

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474868 penguinchris Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474868 Sounds like a job for Mythbusters Sounds like a job for Mythbusters

]]> By: perch http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474848 perch Thu, 12 Jul 2012 05:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474848 That just makes me want to get 4 megatons of TNT and a baseball to see how fast I can get it to go. That just makes me want to get 4 megatons of TNT and a baseball to see how fast I can get it to go.

]]> By: Tribune http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474813 Tribune Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474813 Well maybe he will end up like the pitcher if someone gets a too realistic rendering of the cartoon Well maybe he will end up like the pitcher if someone gets a too realistic rendering of the cartoon

]]> By: madsci http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474802 madsci Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474802 According to my calculations, a 5-ounce baseball at 0.9c would have a kinetic energy of just about 4 megatons.  So yeah, it'd make quite a mess. According to my calculations, a 5-ounce baseball at 0.9c would have a kinetic energy of just about 4 megatons.  So yeah, it’d make quite a mess.

]]> By: jandrese http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474796 jandrese Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474796  That hasn't stopped Superman from moving at near the speed of light on many occasions though.  Heck, he's done it for frivolous reasons like racing the Flash around the world (presumably leaving a trail of radiated devastation behind).   That hasn’t stopped Superman from moving at near the speed of light on many occasions though.  Heck, he’s done it for frivolous reasons like racing the Flash around the world (presumably leaving a trail of radiated devastation behind). 

]]> By: Mark Dow http://boingboing.net/2012/07/11/baseball-at-relativistic-speed.html#comment-1474794 Mark Dow Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=170286#comment-1474794 As long as the fragments constituting "the batter" provide their own motive force, and stay within the baseline, on their way to first base; 6.09(c). As long as the fragments constituting “the batter” provide their own motive force, and stay within the baseline, on their way to first base; 6.09(c).

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