Can you not just test this theory with a bit of string and a pole? the only thing missing is gravity, and gravity will pull the string to the centre which strengthens your case anyway...

You've got to be kidding me. I've been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It's just common sense.

Quote from AjRose :

You've got to be kidding me. I've been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It's just common sense.

Quote from AjRose :

You've got to be kidding me. I've been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It's just common sense.

Umm, what?

Anyway, Blue is the correct one, try it yourself by winding a string tightly around a basketball...

Quote from AjRose :

You've got to be kidding me. I've been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It's just common sense.

drunk?

Quote from AjRose :

You've got to be kidding me. I've been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It's just common sense.

What the hell...?!

(-: siht noissucsid ynnuF

Anyway, JJ made it absolutely clear. This works around any spherical thing, rotation speed or gravity don't affect this.

On a very fast rotating thing in space (take a pulsar e.g., 10000s of revs per second) the string would also take the shortest way, which is the blue one.
Those ice and stone fields around Saturn only fly around it because they haven't been "pulled straight". Rip the belt open, pull on both sides and it would start touching the planet as well.

greetz

der lerts.. erm butz

Quote from wien :

It doesn't make sense at all, that was my point. That's just the only thought process I could imagine that would lead people to think the red would work. You have to basically imagine the earth as "flat" and that the string pulled taut between the two people on this earth would be suspended above the ground. Then wrap the entire system around a sphere (since we all know the earth is a sphere) and you're there.

This of course ignores gravity pulling the entire string down towards the centre of the earth and that the pulling force would cause the string to be wrapped taut around the earth even if you ignored gravity for whatever reason.

Perfectly explained the first part, I'm sure that's what they're thinking of to say red one will work.

But the second part... it has NOTHING to do with gravity. If the string is pulled tight then you're implying that you can beat the gravity

It only have to do with geometry. A simple example:
You have one end of the large string in your hands, and another man take the string just in front of you and pulled it tight. Then this man starts walking away from you giving more string but holding it tight. The string will be parallel to the ground. But when this man crosses the horizon (what a big walk, I know) then you'll start noticing how the string it's getting closer to the ground, as the other end is also going down (rounding the earth) and a string pulled tight is a straight line. So eventually the string will touch the ground but for pure geommetry, nothing about gravity

Cliked the wrong one i clicked red meant to click bleu.

I think that is most likely to happend i mean we also need to take gravity into to the game wich even the string can not escape from.
If its not gravity its the fact of the earth beighn a giant bal that wil make it the way the bleu string is.

Unles its a Lerts magic string wich travels trough a wornhole

I'm just LMAO over all the gravity talk. Gravity has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Tristan, Maggot, any of you engineering mathematical geniuses, can one of you guys grab a calculator for us and calculate at what distance from each person a string would touch and wrap around the earth's surface (assuming smooth and perfectly spherical) when the 2 people are holding the string at say, a height of 4 feet while standing at some distance apart?

Quote from speedway :

I'd do anything you for Meggan


The string would be 3910m long (from your hand, till it touches the ground)

12,742,000 m Diameter
6,371,000 m Radius
Radius plus 4 feet = 6,371,001.2192 meter
Pythagorian Theorem...
We know the 'a' (which is the line from earth's center to where the string touches the ground),
We know the 'c' (which is the line from earth's center to where the string touches the hand (a + 121cm or 4 feet))
So we can calculate X (the short side of the triangle).

X(2) = c(2) - a(2)
X = sqrt((637100121)^2 - (637100000)^2) = 3926.55338 meters.

On average... The earth is not a perfect sphere (although more perfect than a billiard ball requires to be )



For an encore:

Does a propeller airplane that is placed on a conveyor belt which moves at the speed of the airplane in the opposite direction take off?

Quote from RocksGt :

So eventually the string will touch the ground but for pure geommetry, nothing about gravity

Isn't that exactly what I said? The string will wrap regardless, but if you start mixing gravity into it like some people seem to do, it would still do nothing but pull the string towards the ground. So either way the levitating red string won't happen.

Quote from TagForce :

...equally stupid airplane puzzle...

I hate you. If that tired old discussion takes off (no pun intended) I'm coming for you. Watch your back.

I voted blue, but i can see why other people think red.

If the string ends were tied to eachother, i would have chosen red. Im not really sure why, just a feeling. The string would have to be longer than the earths circumference (sp?) ofcourse. Maybe its because the gravitational force thats working on one part of the string, would be pulling back on the opposite part, and thus cancelling gravity. I also think the string would be spinning

EDIT: Ofcourse its impossible for a string which is this long and able to carry its own weight to exist. But imo thats not the point of this thread.

Im really interested in what the solution is now
Someone call a physicist!

Quote from TagForce :

Does a propeller airplane that is placed on a conveyor belt which moves at the speed of the airplane in the opposite direction take off?

No, the method of propulsion makes no difference.

Quote from wien :

I hate you. If that tired old discussion takes off (no pun intended) I'm coming for you. Watch your back.

* runs...

Quote from Ball Bearing Turbo :

No, the method of propulsion makes no difference.

Erm, your joking right?

The plane takes off, because the engines thrust goes to the air - unlike a car on a rolling road where it goes via the convener belt.

Oh FFS: http://blag.xkcd.com/2008/09/0 ... on-the-goddamn-treadmill/

Quote from Jakg :

Erm, your joking right?

The plane takes off, because the engines thrust goes to the air - unlike a car on a rolling road where it goes via the convener belt.

I'm always 100% serious on this forum, it's serious business
besides, it's fun to watch people freak out

I vote that lfs physics should be rewritten by people that think red is correct. Truly ingenious thinking that could change the world, you would make Columbus proud. Dare to think differently.

IMO it's the green line.

I had to.

Look closely. There is no string...

:detective

Quote from mrodgers :

Tristan, Maggot, any of you engineering mathematical geniuses, can one of you guys grab a calculator for us and calculate at what distance from each person a string would touch and wrap around the earth's surface (assuming smooth and perfectly spherical) when the 2 people are holding the string at say, a height of 4 feet while standing at some distance apart?

i already linked to a video explaining the math in song writing and german

I would say blue