Slashdot Mirror


Physicists Turn Pull Into Push

sciencehabit writes "It's textbook physics: An electric charge near the surface of a material gets pulled toward the surface. However, if the charge is spread out into the right shape and moves fast enough, that attraction becomes a repulsion, one physicist calculates. The odd finding could help physicists avoid unexpected effects when guiding beams of particles such as electrons."

21 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Repulsion Engines Online by lawnboy5-O · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Make it so!

    1. Re:Repulsion Engines Online by Tough+Love · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If it works, it's antigravity just as much as a table leg is. In that sense, we have already had antigravity for some time. What you really meant to say is: land speeder, finally.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  2. They could have just asked any geek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    They seem to have that repulsion charge with girls.

    1. Re:They could have just asked any geek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      So you are saying that if a geek guy stops and listens to a girl, that she'll find him attractive?

    2. Re:They could have just asked any geek by somersault · · Score: 2

      I have data points that indicate this to be correct at least some of the time. There may be just a little more to it of course, but I'm sure future physics papers will give us some more hints.

      --
      which is totally what she said
    3. Re:They could have just asked any geek by somersault · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah that is about when the average female starts to think a solid mate who will provide for her and care about her, is a tad more important than playing idiotic mindgames, teasing, and whoring for attention

      Counter-point: it's also when your average geek has settled into a well paying job/career.

      --
      which is totally what she said
    4. Re:They could have just asked any geek by Nerdfest · · Score: 3, Insightful

      A more jaded person would say it wears off around $100K or so.

    5. Re:They could have just asked any geek by besalope · · Score: 3, Funny

      I have data points that indicate this to be correct at least some of the time. There may be just a little more to it of course, but I'm sure future physics papers will give us some more hints.

      Pretty sure those are just outliers. Are you sure p from your dataset is remotely close to 0.05?

    6. Re:They could have just asked any geek by I+Mean,+What · · Score: 3, Funny

      Wait, who's bitter and angry?

    7. Re:They could have just asked any geek by somersault · · Score: 2

      Only one of them was into that type of thing, so we'll never know.

      --
      which is totally what she said
  3. Great explanations by jez9999 · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's textbook physics: An electric charge near the surface of a material gets pulled toward the surface. However, if the charge is spread out into the right shape and moves fast enough, that attraction becomes a repulsion, one physicist calculates.

    This finally explains so much about women's behaviour towards me.

    1. Re:Great explanations by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 2

      Even quoting to her how Tony Stark's repulsor rays work?

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  4. They should work on the reverse by Spy+Handler · · Score: 2

    we already know lots of ways to push things... jet engines to push planes, gunpowder to push bullets out of a gun, etc.

    What we need is a way to PULL things, so we can make a tractor beam. So far we got... nothing.

    1. Re:They should work on the reverse by multiben · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sure we do. Rope!

    2. Re:They should work on the reverse by Tough+Love · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why didn't I think of that? A matter beam. Brilliant.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    3. Re:They should work on the reverse by Carewolf · · Score: 4, Funny

      All personal at battle stations: Fire the matter beam!!

      *poke*

  5. Re:ION engines? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    It isn't like an ion engine at all. What they are saying is that electrostatic induction is not always attractive but it takes very specific conditions to make it repulsive. An ion engine doesn't use induction. Induction is the force between a neutrally charged object and a charged object.

  6. Re:theoretical bs by Chuckstar · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nothing in the article violates the laws of physics. It's merely a question of who did the math more accurately for the specific case of the given arrangement of electrons.

    Cherenkov radiation is a well understood phenomenon. What you are missing is that the cosmic speed limit is the speed of light in a vacuum. Where the speed of light is slower (i.e. glass), it does not violate the laws of physics for a particle to move faster than that speed. In the given example: the electrons move faster in glass than light moves in glass, but still slower than light moves in a vacuum.

  7. Re:theoretical bs by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nope, they're referring to Cerenkov radiation, it's a known effect and produces a very pretty blue light in nuclear reactors. It occurs when the phase velocity travels faster than the speed of light in that medium which is all fine and dandy and breaks no rules at all.

    --
    Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
  8. Re:theoretical bs by Muad'Dave · · Score: 2

    For Cherenkov Radioation , doesn't the charged particle have to move through a dialectic medium, not above its surface?

    I don't think the charges use spirit guides to exchange logical arguments to resolve disagreements.

    --
    Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
  9. Re:theoretical bs by Muad'Dave · · Score: 2

    Not in the least. I've been in the 'core' of a couple of small research-grade swimming pool reactors (including this one), and you can see the blue light quite well and with no danger from radiation.

    --
    Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.