On 05/08/14 13:12, Ian Woollard wrote:
On 5 August 2014 12:05, Peter Fairbrother <zenadsl6186@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:zenadsl6186@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
But none of this really matters, it's all bullshit, there's no such
device, and there's very, very, very good theoretical reasons for
thinking no such device can be built,
And what are those? I don't know of any.
I don't believe the drive exists - but I don't know of any
theoretical reasons why it would be impossible.
Just simple energy and momentum for a start.
But the thruster described violates neither the law of conservation of energy, nor the law of conservation of momentum.
You will have to do better than that to provide "very, very, very good theoretical reasons for thinking no such device can be built." :)
I know it seems to violate both, but in fact it doesn't violate either. I think you will agree about the energy part, as for instance your calculations would not be possible if you didn't - and the momentum part isn't really that much of a stretch, if you think about it.
A thruster that can conjure up momentum from empty space would have to have particular sets of properties to not violate all the existing experiments that have been done before, and they're not claiming those properties;
Could you explain more please? I haven't read the paper, so I don't know what properties they are claiming
and they're claiming things based on data that is consistent with experimental error.
- and even without reading the paper I too think their results are experimental error [1]. I think the existence of the required new physics is unlikely.
But saying it is impossible because it violates conservation of energy or momentum is simply incorrect - it doesn't.
Now I agree a quantum vacuum dragged around by mass isn't part of physics - but it is in the area between general relativity and quantum theory where we simply do not know what the physics of the universe is. And we do know space does in fact get dragged around by mass, so why shouldn't the quantum vacuum?
As far as I can see, there is nothing in the rest of physics to exclude it. Nothing in GR, and nothing in QM.
-- Peter Fairbrother[1] Though measuring micronewtons is actually pretty easy - I have pocket scales which cost less than £10 which can measure to within +-0.2 milligram weight, or 2 micronewton thrust.
A torsion balance? should be easy enough if the experimental apparatus isn't too heavy. Not hard to build one either.