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2010-02-24 11:44:40
Ioan92
Member
+337|6008
Ever came to think about this?

At what speeds are we hurtling though the universe? How could we calculate it? We know that speed is calculated by comparing a "relatively" stationary physical system to one that is moving, but do you do that with the universe? knowing it has no boundaries.

One idea coming to my mind would be to take the speed of one object's orbit such as earth, add it to the sun's speed around the galactic center, then add it to the speed on the galaxy around Andromeda, then add it to the the speed of their orbit around the local group, then with the super cluster and so forth to the infinity.

Is it just me or it might be probable that "Absolute" speed is impossible to calculate?

Could it be that our concept of speed is a completely inaccurate aberration?

2010-02-24 11:52:09
Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6993|67.222.138.85
Physics calculations always have a frame of reference. You can calculate anything you want given the appropriate frame of reference.

You can't declare our speed incalculable because you imply the "true" frame of reference is a point that violates causality from Earth's frame of reference.
2010-02-24 12:16:05
Ioan92
Member
+337|6008

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

Physics calculations always have a frame of reference. You can calculate anything you want given the appropriate frame of reference.

You can't declare our speed incalculable because you imply the "true" frame of reference is a point that violates causality from Earth's frame of reference.
I see what you mean and just had this thought.

Aviation has two speed indication modes;

TAS & IAS

True airspeed and Indicated.

As the true airspeed is defined as the speed of the aircraft relative to the air mass it's flying into, would that mean that if we could find the real matter that constitutes the universe and have that confirmed; wouldn't it mean being able to calculate the true speed of an object through space?

2010-02-24 12:26:05
Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6993|67.222.138.85
We already understand our true speed because we discount whatever speed our surroundings might be traveling at, the true speed is your speed assuming your surroundings are still. Indicated is finding the total vector, the addition of the object's and the surrounding's vector - but it is not difficult to measure this total vector in reference to anything else.

A plane has an easily measured true airspeed, and the speed of the plane in regards to fixed points is also easily measured. Subtract, and you have the "surrounding speed". How or why that vector is what it is doesn't matter, it's still simple to find its effect.
2010-02-24 12:35:24
Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|6907|London, England
I'm sure you could calculate the speed of which the truly massive scale structures of the universe are going at, it would all probably be quite arbitrary though, really nothing the human mind can comprehend for it to be noteworthy enough. But it gets all complicated with spacetime expansion and all that.

It's possible but just all really too much for us to comprehend or make sense of in any meaningful way, just really I think what you're basically talking about is a problem regarding whether the universe is infinite or not.
2010-02-24 12:40:54
SenorToenails
Veritas et Scientia
+444|6416|North Tonawanda, NY
There is no absolute frame of reference.
2010-02-24 15:49:19
Mitch
16 more years
+877|6811|South Florida

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

We already understand our true speed because we discount whatever speed our surroundings might be traveling at, the true speed is your speed assuming your surroundings are still. Indicated is finding the total vector, the addition of the object's and the surrounding's vector - but it is not difficult to measure this total vector in reference to anything else.

A plane has an easily measured true airspeed, and the speed of the plane in regards to fixed points is also easily measured. Subtract, and you have the "surrounding speed". How or why that vector is what it is doesn't matter, it's still simple to find its effect.
this kids smart
15 more years! 15 more years!
2010-02-24 16:25:10
Commie Killer
Member
+192|6673

Mitch wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

We already understand our true speed because we discount whatever speed our surroundings might be traveling at, the true speed is your speed assuming your surroundings are still. Indicated is finding the total vector, the addition of the object's and the surrounding's vector - but it is not difficult to measure this total vector in reference to anything else.

A plane has an easily measured true airspeed, and the speed of the plane in regards to fixed points is also easily measured. Subtract, and you have the "surrounding speed". How or why that vector is what it is doesn't matter, it's still simple to find its effect.
this kids smart
He is older than you.

 

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