this post was submitted on 25 May 2024
82 points (100.0% liked)

Space

8363 readers
323 users here now

Share & discuss informative content on: Astrophysics, Cosmology, Space Exploration, Planetary Science and Astrobiology.


Rules

  1. Be respectful and inclusive.
  2. No harassment, hate speech, or trolling.
  3. Engage in constructive discussions.
  4. Share relevant content.
  5. Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
  6. Use appropriate language and tone.
  7. Report violations.
  8. Foster a continuous learning environment.

Picture of the Day

The Busy Center of the Lagoon Nebula


Related Communities

๐Ÿ”ญ Science

๐Ÿš€ Engineering

๐ŸŒŒ Art and Photography


Other Cool Links

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago (3 children)

What's wrong with it rotating one quarter the speed of light?

[โ€“] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago

Because linear velocity and angular velocity (the speed at which an object spins) are two different quantities, as is already apparent from the units (m/s and rad/s). Saying that something rotates with 1/4 c is simply not a useful statement. It would be useful if you were saying that, for example, an object at the event horizon travels at that speed. But that speed is dependent on your altitude above the massive body. The same angular velocity (rotational speed) at greater heights translates to lower speeds than further below.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

The same thing that's wrong with saying I'm going 1250 rpm down the road. It may be correct, but doesn't actually mean anything without more data.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Think about how fast a point on the equator of the Earth moves relative to a point a few cm away from the North Pole.

In one full rotation of the Earth, the point on the equator will have traveled 40,000 km, and the point by the North Pole will have traveled a meter.

So... it's that it's a useless way to express rotation.