What happens when a needle hits the Earth at the speed of light?

4/29/2020

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by Amogh Joshi via QUORA.COM

Science Story: What happens when a needle hits the Earth at the speed of light?

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With classical physics, you would expect nothing to happen.

The mass of an average needle is around 1 gram, or around 0.001 kg.

The mass of our planet is an immense 5.9 x 10^24 kg.

The needle is moving at the speed of light, or around 300,000,000 m/s.

The Earth is moving at a much lower speed, 30,000 m/s.

And if you use conservation of momentum, you will find that there is literally no reaction between the two. Although the needle is moving at such a high speed, the mass of the Earth is so comparatively immense.

However, with relativity, as an object approaches the speed of light, its momentum approaches infinity.

Because of this, it doesn’t matter what the mass or velocity of the object the particle at the speed of light is striking, since it has infinite momentum, the collision will result in a massive loss of kinetic energy.

And such a wave of kinetic energy, combined with the impact of the collision, will probably destroy our planet and all life on it.

So let’s hope that a harmless needle doesn’t suddenly get a grudge against our planet and decide to attack it.

This information was taken from Quora. Click here to view the original post.

Can you imagine a single needle to be so dangerous?

#Science #Quora

What are your thoughts on this subject?

41 Comments

Allison Aspden

Seems an impossible event.

Krishna Chandra Singh Sanger

It is impossible for a common sewing needle to travel at the speed of light although it may strive towards reaching it.

Julie Domaille

I'm no scientist but if meteors can hit us causing massive craters, how can a needle do so much damage?

Scott

Interesting, I would've thought that there would be no disturbance to the Earth.

Clive Reed

As the needle entered the atmosphere it would burn up, but in doing so the Kinetic energy released in the process would be what would destroy the planet. Think of it like a Tsunami, a ball of energy that would become big enough to envelope the whole planet.

Clive Reed

Axel Brosi, Yes, as the needle entered the atmosphere it would burn up, but in doing so the Kinetic energy released in the process would be what would destroy the planet. Think of it like a Tsunami, a ball of energy that would become big enough to envelope the whole planet.

landdhill

Chas Kirtz, It would, if the meteorite struck the earth at the speed of light (which is actually 286,000 miles per second). Fortunately, meteors do not travel that fast or anything even remotely approaching it. That is why most of them burn to a crisp in the atmosphere.

David Fitch

So the needle wouldn’t burn up as it entered our atmosphere?

Jeff Hughes

sekrob, no mass

Jeff Hughes

Axel Brosi, it would not be in the atmosphere long enough. Also, even with such great mass, it would probably just pass through the earth in a few nanoseconds.