BLUEMOMENT

Yep, but is the momentum conserved?

aquaplane wrote:Yep, but is the momentum conserved?

Yes. Momentum is Mass X Speed. The mass of the train has increases by the mass of the fly.

Ash

ash wrote:

Windfinder wrote: I can't explain why but I'm sure that logic has a flaw.

No flaw. I think that that sort of logic is great.

It's all relative. It's just a matter of getting a small enough increment of time.

Ash

What is the smallest measurable increment of time?

jim.r wrote:not sure I agree, cos that would be "round the world continuously under way" whereas its definitely "non stop round the world", and I 'm sur that at some point the boat would be going backwards in relation to the world so at the point of transition from forward motion to backward motion the bcraft would most definitely be stopped.

This is about the point where I actually secretly enjoy the new law and excuse myself outside for a smoke...

If the fly was flying fast enough its energy would equal that of the train.

So when the two met they would both stop instantly as they would have equal and opposite forces.

Not entirely sure how fast the fly would have to be going - pretty nippy I guess.

Olivepage wrote:If the fly was flying fast enough its energy would equal that of the train.

So when the two met they would both stop instantly as they would have equal and opposite forces.

Not entirely sure how fast the fly would have to be going - pretty nippy I guess.

OTOH the fly might just carry on moving but make a fly shaped tunnel through the train and emerge unharmed if enough quantum mechanic random events happen at the right time for it?

"OTOH the fly might just carry on moving but make a fly shaped tunnel through the train and emerge unharmed if enough quantum mechanic random events happen at the right time for it?"

Possible

But it would take a very lucky fly

I suspect it would lay down its life for the sake of science.

A noble fly!

The fly changes course relative to the rails and remains stopped relative to the train. Now choose your theory. I believe the train was accelerated towards the fly, by its (the flys) gravitational pull, thus the verdict must be suicide.

and of course at the moment of impact the fly is accelaerated instantaneously from one direction to the opposite diection thus creating a vector exceeding the speed of light, this means that time ran backwards and the fly lives on isn a parallel universe

Is that the theory of Buddism?

Good thought.

Considering there have been thousands of trains running for millions of miles for scores of years, there must be a parallel universe entirely populated by countless millions of flies.

Wonder what they eat.

Or does each fly have its own personal universe? - Must be very lonely for them. If a fly has a universe to itself can anyone hear it buzz?

Each with it's own universe - -that's it! The fly is pretty well compressed at the moment of transition, and is ready to go big-bang, so there are lots of embryonic universes out there just waiting to happen.
There may be a problem with that elephant on the track though....

No problem

Just a bigger alternative universe.

Not sure where it leaves Jim's quantum event theory though.

Jungs, this forum is fantastic, do you realise we've just solved a major scientific conundrum? Dark matter, which makes up the vast majority of mass, is obviously comprised of dead flies living in parallel universes!

Who's going to tell the man in the wheelchair? And, haven't we all been eating fly-cemetries for years - what would happen if........... AAAAAAAAArgh