An illegal movement that my have quirky consequences

[Galaxy4]

Hi all,

 

I asked myself is it possible to mechanically join two steel balls together ie using only their movement and no other forces. I came to the conclusion no, due to the 3rd Law of Motion, they would push each other apart the instant they came into contact.

For nothing more than fun, I asked the question another way, what would need to happen? The only answer I could come up with (other than changing the shape from a ball to an open ring) was a movement that clearly breaches the Laws of Motion. Although I knew that this movement couldn’t happen, I was fascinated by the concept it lead to, a physical structure that appeared to behave in a similar way to how I understood ( misunderstood ) aether/fabric of space.

Clearly what I have done is not science, but I have used this concept like a tool to help me visualize some of the non physical events such as E=MC2, Gravitation ie stretching of space etc. I’m sure as no doubt you are that this concept is the product of ignorance and wishful thinking. Which leads to my dilemma, I would love to know if the consequences of this illegal movement mimic certain aspects of space fabric. Though, equally I don’t want waste anyone’s time on something that can’t happen ( or make a complete idiot of myself).

Realizing that some one must have undertaken similar exercise, I searched everywhere I could think of, but haven’t found anything remotely similar. So I’m kind of hoping that someone with in the forum to say Fed Bloggs did this or something similar, and it leads to a concept or goes no where.

So if anyone has the time or the will, is anyone aware of any mechanical concepts that have tried use movement to join physical matter, or a mechanical concept that would fill all available space on a pool table without increasing the number or size of the balls.

[Edtharan]

I asked myself is it possible to mechanically join two steel balls together ie using only their movement and no other forces. I came to the conclusion no, due to the 3rd Law of Motion, they would push each other apart the instant they came into contact.

This would only be true if the balls were infinitely stiff.

 

If the balls can be compressed then the energy from the impact can be distributed in other ways than rebounding. For instance, metals balls can be deformed, they can be dented in other words. This denting uses energy which is converted into heat (try flexing a piece of metal back and forth and it will rapidly heat up).

 

The deformation also soaks up energy as the bonds between the atoms are changed. This is why cars have crumple zones. This is so the energy of the impact is soaked up by the deforming crumple zone and not transmitted to you.

 

So, two steel balls can be joined just by slamming them together, if the metal is soft enough (enough heat generated by the collision could be enough to make the steel pliable enough for this).

[insane_alien]

even more so, the heat of collision could be enough to partially melt the steel causeing them to form a weld and actually become one single steel ball.

 

its much easier to do with lead though, steel is hard enough to be able to shatter on impact. although that needs some higher velocities.

[Galaxy4]

Hi,

I never thought about it from that angle, as I always assumed that they would push each other apart. So the heat generated by their collision could fuse them together. I was wrong.

Big thanks

[insane_alien]

no problem. if you want to experiment on this, take a block of lead (about baseball sized) and a sledgehammer. hit the lead with the sledgehammer as hard as you can then touch the lead before it cools down. it should be quite warm.

[Edtharan]

no problem. if you want to experiment on this, take a block of lead (about baseball sized) and a sledgehammer. hit the lead with the sledgehammer as hard as you can then touch the lead before it cools down. it should be quite warm.

Or just get a Paper-clip and bend it back and forth for a few seconds. But be careful, I actually burnt my self once (it was when I was using one of the thicker paper-clips ).

[Galaxy4]

Thank you both Insane alien and Edtharan,

clearly I missed the obvious, which has made me revalue the concept, and as a result it has been down graded form quirky ( may be ) to a load of bollocks.

 

 

Finally, I would like to apologies to all those who read the title print and expected to see the movement, I was frightened I was wrong and make ass of myself (hence why I asked) . This I did anyway, so what the hell have a laugh on me.

 

 

Each ball had to move in a circle/orbit, and pass through the middle of each other circle ( like a link in a chain), the join would dependant on a ratio between the speed of balls, to the speed the circles/orbits movement away from each other. I.e. each ball completing an circle/orbit say 30,000 per second, the circles/orbits moving away from each other at 2Miles per hour, at the crossing over point between orbits each ball should be present to push each other back, trapping each other inside their orbits.

 

I'm still not sure that is correct.