If you have a pencil...

topic posted Tue, December 27, 2005 - 5:04 AM by  Liam
If you have a pencil, and you move it, is it still stationary?
... and if you *don't* move it, is it "still" stationary?

And since everything is always moving relative to something else -- even if every body in the universe stopped, the kinetik movement that we call heat would still result in movement relative to something else (and if there were no heat left in the universe then is there still such thing as stationary??) -- could we not say that a pencil is both stationary and non stationary AT THE SAME TIME!!!

It's a paradox.... Bet Einstein never thought of that...
posted by:
Liam
Australia
  • Re: If you have a pencil...

    Wed, December 28, 2005 - 12:33 AM
    Think a bit more about a rigid body. Its atoms vibrate around the same fixed point. If they don't, you need to use the approximation of a fluid. If the fluid can be compressed, it is no longer a liquid but a gas.
    • Re: If you have a pencil...

      Thu, December 29, 2005 - 11:16 AM
      No"thing" is 100% constant therefore every "thing" is in an incremental and relative state of flux and change, making the object (in this case a pencil) a non-stationary item.

      Now, during a "milliisecond" time interval it may appear stationary. The question then becomes, how much does the esssence of time influence movement? Specific considerations include decay, duration and frequency of tests.
  • Geo
    Geo
    offline 2

    Re: If you have a pencil...

    Fri, January 6, 2006 - 2:59 PM
    It could be said, in truth and without scientific pontification, that a pencil is stationery even if it is moving. Hah, I couldn't resist.

    That pun aside, yes I believe there is truth to your assessment that an item can be both stationary and non stationary at the same time. This would depend on the state of the item(s) to which you compare or measure it. Consider that Earth is in constant motion and therefore any item appearing to be stationary on it or non-stationary traveling through its environs could be said to be stationary in comparison to some other particles somewhere. Consider also that the atomic particles making up said object, stationary or not, are in constant motion (unless at absolute zero) making the item in question only apear stationary regardless of measurement or comparison to other objects or particles.

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