Police get riders at over 200 km/h

**Mikkel** · 27th April 2009, 20:44

Originally Posted by Winston001

Haven't followed the argument but seems like you guys just need to remember e=mc2. The faster the mass is moving, the greater the energy of the body. At lightspeed, pure energy only, all mass is converted.

I think we are going a bit too far afield. Not only is the theory of relativity relatively tricky (which is illustrated by the erroneous statement highlighted above) it is also absolutely irrelevant for anything within the scope of present discussion.

As for the physics lesson, I post for two reasons 1) incorrect statements pertaining to any field of science must be challenged immediately and 2) I appreciate the irony of the inane "This thread is boring now!" replies...

**Winston001** · 28th April 2009, 09:05

Originally Posted by Mikkel

I think we are going a bit too far afield. Not only is the theory of relativity relatively tricky (which is illustrated by the erroneous statement highlighted above) it is also absolutely irrelevant for anything within the scope of present discussion.

My bad, inaccurate words. Mea culpa......but this is KB!

Think of a photon = travels at lightspeed, plenty of energy but has zero mass.

Relativity works at all speeds, it just isn't detectable most of the time. And you are correct, its not much help with the brick wall scenario which is too slow.

**MarkH** · 28th April 2009, 09:57

Originally Posted by Squid

Aucklands the arse. It has to be, its auckland after all..

I am sure you are thinking about it the wrong way around. Surely with all the wind in Wellington it must be the arse? It is full of politicians too, further giving credence to the idea that it is the arse!

**SVboy** · 28th April 2009, 10:39

I read it was a couple of Rangiora based riders-mid-later 40s. Passed the mufti at 160 plus, who followed and clocked them at 211kms,after Parnassus. Re running-no where to go-Leader up to Waiau perhaps-but few places to hide on SH1.

**Mikkel** · 28th April 2009, 11:23

Bummer, it'll be interesting to know what punishment the establishment finds appropriate for such gross flaunting of the current mantra "speed kills"...

Originally Posted by Winston001

Think of a photon = travels at lightspeed, plenty of energy but has zero mass.

More importantly - anything with a rest-mass different from zero will never be able to achieve lightspeed (in vacuum) due to the relativistic mass increase.

Since the speed of light in most materials is less than 300.000.000 m/s you can observe fast moving particles breaking the "light-barrier" - e.g. in a reactor - and as a result electromagnetic shockwaves are emitted AKA Cerenkov Radiation. Which again is why everything fancy in Sci-Fi movies has to have this eerie blue glow.

The most mind-boggling aspect of the photon is that it has a momentum and therefore an effective mass despite the fact it's just a packet of electro-magnetic waves.

**Winston001** · 28th April 2009, 12:19

Originally Posted by Mikkel

The most mind-boggling aspect of the photon is that it has a momentum and therefore an effective mass despite the fact it's just a packet of electro-magnetic waves.

Good man, the photon acts on objects as if it does have mass. Now let's see you explain wave/particle duality.....

**James Deuce** · 28th April 2009, 12:59

Has anyone opened the box lately and if they have, is the cat still OK?

**Winston001** · 28th April 2009, 13:33

Noooooooo!! Do not open the box. I like cats and I want this one to remain safe. Anyway it's a potential cat and it'll get away if you release it......

**Mikkel** · 28th April 2009, 13:43

Originally Posted by Winston001

Good man, the photon acts on objects as if it does have mass. Now let's see you explain wave/particle duality.....

Explain wave/particle duality?

- dunno if it's ever really been explained. I'd say it's more of a source for wonder than anything. It's not too difficult to grasp mathematically or as an abstraction. However, trying to reconcile it with anything we can observe with our own eyes is very difficult indeed.

Originally Posted by James Deuce

Has anyone opened the box lately and if they have, is the cat still OK?

They opened the box long ago mate. No cat - just all the evils of the world.

Originally Posted by Winston001

Noooooooo!! Do not open the box. I like cats and I want this one to remain safe. Anyway it's a potential cat and it'll get away if you release it......

And now for philosophy 102 - is the glass half full or half empty?

Btw - the book Schrodinger's Cat by Robert Anton Wilson is an interesting read... if somewhat of a mindfuck.

**James Deuce** · 28th April 2009, 14:06

Originally Posted by Mikkel

And now for philosophy 102 - is the glass half full or half empty?

Neither. It's twice as big as it needs to be.

Originally Posted by Mikkel

Btw - the book Schrodinger's Cat by Robert Anton Wilson is an interesting read... if somewhat of a mindfuck.

Love it. I will have to dig it out and read it again now.

**peasea** · 28th April 2009, 15:27

Originally Posted by Winston001

Good man, the photon acts on objects as if it does have mass. Now let's see you explain wave/particle duality.....

Is that like putting TWO lots of Brylcreem on your hair?

**Ixion** · 28th April 2009, 18:00

More like putting Brylcream on your hair when you're bald.

**Mikkel** · 28th April 2009, 20:40

Originally Posted by Ixion

More like putting Brylcream on your hair when you're bald.

Well if atheism is a religion - bald is a hair colour.

**Edbear** · 28th April 2009, 20:49

Originally Posted by Winston001

Noooooooo!! Do not open the box. I like cats and I want this one to remain safe. Anyway it's a potential cat and it'll get away if you release it......

Not neccessarily, it might be dead when you look...

I like this guy... http://www.thekeyboard.org.uk/Quantum%20mechanics.htm