The idea of throwing a baseball at 90% the speed of light is a fun thought experiment to ponder. Physics tells us that it’s impossible to reach the speed of light, so this experiment can never actually happen. But that doesn’t stop us from taking a closer look at what the consequences of this action would be. In this article, we’ll explore the science behind throwing a baseball at 90% the speed of light, as well as what would happen if it were possible.
The Physics Behind Throwing a Baseball at 90% the Speed of Light
In order to understand what would happen if a baseball were thrown at 90% the speed of light, we need to look at the physics behind the action. According to Einstein’s theory of relativity, the speed of light is a constant, meaning that nothing can travel faster than it. In other words, even if you were to throw a baseball at 90% the speed of light, it would still not reach the speed of light.
The other aspect of this experiment is the amount of energy that would be required to throw the baseball at 90% the speed of light. The amount of energy required is immense and is known as the rest mass energy. This is the energy that is required to accelerate an object from rest to the speed of light. The energy required is so large that it’s almost impossible to imagine, let alone achieve.
What Would Happen if You Threw a Baseball at 90% the Speed of Light?
Now that we’ve looked at the physics behind throwing a baseball at 90% the speed of light, let’s take a look at what would actually happen if this experiment were possible.
The most obvious consequence would be that the baseball would be traveling at an incredibly high speed. It would be so fast that it would be nearly impossible to see. This is because the baseball would be traveling faster than the speed of light. As a result, it would be invisible to the human eye.
In addition to the baseball becoming invisible, it would also be subject to some strange effects due to the fact that it would be traveling at such a high speed. One of these effects is known as time dilation. This is a phenomenon in which time appears to slow down for the observer relative to the baseball. In other words, if you were to throw a baseball at 90% the speed of light, it would appear to you that the baseball is moving at a slower speed than it actually is.
The other strange effect that the baseball would experience is known as length contraction. This is a phenomenon in which the length of the baseball appears to be shorter than it actually is, due to the fact that it is traveling at such a high speed. So if you were to throw a baseball at 90% the speed of light, it would appear to you that the baseball is shorter than it actually is.
What Would Happen if the Baseball Were Caught?
Now that we’ve looked at what would happen if you were to throw a baseball at 90% the speed of light, let’s take a look at what would happen if the baseball were actually caught.
The most obvious consequence is that the person catching the baseball would be subject to some of the same effects that the baseball is subject to. This includes time dilation and length contraction. The person catching the baseball would appear to be moving slower relative to the baseball, and the person’s arms would appear to be shorter than they actually are.
In addition to these effects, the person catching the baseball would also be subject to immense amounts of force. This is due to the fact that the baseball would be traveling at such a high speed. The force of the impact would be so great that it could cause serious injury or even death to the person catching the baseball.
Conclusion
Throwing a baseball at 90% the speed of light is an interesting thought experiment, but it’s impossible to achieve in reality. Even if it were possible, the consequences of doing so would be immense. The baseball would become invisible and the person catching it would be subject to time dilation and length contraction, as well as immense amounts of force.
Ultimately, throwing a baseball at 90% the speed of light is an interesting thought experiment, but it should remain just that – a thought experiment. It’s impossible to achieve in reality, and it’s not worth the risk of injury or death to the person catching the ball.