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Re: Weird question...



Light will make it by a long shot! The passage of a shock wave which
transmits the push of the rod is a lot slower than the speed o'light.


On Sat, 24 Aug 1996, Delissa Souder wrote:

I have a question that I and a friend have been arguing about. I
was wondering if someone could help me out? The question is this:

If 2 people are 2 light years apart. Person 1 wants to signal Person 2.
Person 1 has a laser and a rigid stick that is just a few inches short of
2 light years in length (almost touching Person 2). At the exact same
time, the laser is shown at Person 2 and the rigid pole is pushed into
Person 2. Which will reach Person 2 first?

Assume the pole is rigid and there is no sideway flexing.

If someone could please help us out, it would be very greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dwight
dsouder@ashland.edu



----------
Tom K. McCarthy Email:mcca6300@spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov