Theoretical question

[Steve]

Euclid's Geometry. It will have a point contact, where a point is theoretical entity that is infinitessimally small, therefore no area.

i.e Zero.

where is its mass being transferred to then? If its point of contact were zero and it was not moving, its mass would be ZERO too.

 

[2scoops0406]

0.1%

So its an object with 1000 sides? a milligon perhaps ? but defo' not a sphere.

 

[Onetap]

Euclid's Geometry. It will have a point contact, where a point is theoretical entity that is infinitessimally small, therefore no area.

i.e Zero.

where is its mass being transferred to then? If its point of contact were zero and it was not moving, its mass would be ZERO too.

It has no mass, it is a theoretical entity that doesn't exist in reality, like characters in Eastenders. It ain't real.

Newton and Hooke weren't around when Euclid was writing his stuff.

Real, solid, spheres are imperfect and have a mass that depends on what they're made of. They will deform, usually elastically, when they rest on another body. The other body deforms too.

 

[2scoops0406]

Euclid's Geometry. It will have a point contact, where a point is theoretical entity that is infinitessimally small, therefore no area.

i.e Zero.

where is its mass being transferred to then? If its point of contact were zero and it was not moving, its mass would be ZERO too.

Indeed, where did mass come into it? And where would mass be being transferred to (whatever that means)

 

[2scoops0406]

If its point of contact were zero and it was not moving, its mass would be ZERO too.

Third

 

[BoxBasher]

If a perfect sphere is sat on a perfect flat, what is the contact area

Would the answer "really really small" suffice?

I mean "theoretically", you cannot quantify something that you aren't sure actually exists.

(The surrealists answer would be "the bath full of giraffes, with purple corks...)

 

[2scoops0406]

If a perfect sphere is sat on a perfect flat, what is the contact area

Would the answer "really really small" suffice?

I mean "theoretically", you cannot quantify something that you aren't sure actually exists.

(The surrealists answer would be "the bath full of giraffes, with purple corks...)

I agree. It would be difficult to quantify something you're not sure of.

 

[tim west]

Perhaps the word "contact" is confusing the issue? the surface that the sphere is upon is acting as a force in repelling the gravitational force being exerted upon the sphere so there is some form of interference contact whether mechanical or not is debatable but the surface is indeed causing an action.

 

[Nige F]

whole post is a load of spheres

 

[Softus]

Perhaps the word "contact" is confusing the issue? the surface that the sphere is upon is acting as a force in repelling the gravitational force being exerted upon the sphere so there is some form of interference contact whether mechanical or not is debatable but the surface is indeed causing an action.

Amazing! Each word that you've used has a strict meaning, and even the grammar isn't half bad, but the entire paragraph utterly defies meaning. An impressive achievement!

 

[Big_Spark]

Lets expand the original question..at what level are the plane and the sphere "perfect".

Is this to the human eye, touch,laser measurement or at the molecular or atomic levels?

The answer to this is crucial to the answer to the question.

 

[Softus]

Lets expand the original question.

Er, let's not, since most people have entirely missed the point anyway.

My hat goes off to Eddie M, because he's the only person to have been correct throughout the topic. Onetap also had it right.

The answer to this is crucial to the answer to the question.

 

[Big_Spark]

Softus, as usual lately you are being a twonk.

Eddie M is wrong and also right, it all depends on the perspective and scale involved.

You know that, your simply being silly now.

 

[Steve]

Lets expand the original question..at what level are the plane and the sphere "perfect".

Is this to the human eye, touch,laser measurement or at the molecular or atomic levels?

A perfect mathematical theoretical sphere with NO flat edges.

 

[Big_Spark]

A perfect mathematical theoretical sphere with NO flat edges.

And here in lies the dilemna Crafty, as this is impossible. As you reduce the scale, there will come a point where a flat edge can exist, whether that be at the molecular, atomic or subatomic level is a matter of conjecture.

However lets keep this reasonable sensible and assume, for arguments sake you are not speaking about these scales, I would conclude that apoint of contact does exist at some level, but to the theoretical world, perhaps not.

I suppose, whilst discussing this, we could also consider the mass and density of the sphere and the medium it and the plane exist in. Afterall, in the right environment a layer of the surrounding mediium, such as air or water, would likely be trapped between the sphere and plane, whether perfect or not, and as such there is no true physical contact between them. However if the mass and density of the sphere is sufficient, then it would likely overcome the molecular forces that would allow such a layer of matter to exist.

Ok..I'll stop now..but we were being theoretical