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This is just a thought experiment I had and was wondering if any could give there input on it,

Imagine we have to machines in the shape of a ball. When these machines are turned on, one machine will mirror the motion of the other machine (example if one moves forward the other will move backward at same velocity).

Now I have these balls a flat frictionless plane and they are both off, stood still next to each other. Now I push one ball forward and let it till for a second. I then turn on the machine. What is the motion of these balls?

I be been trying to think of this. And the thing I have been having trouble thinking is the instantaneous decision to move. I tried to think of this like if it was though of the decision in a discrete manner then the for each next time step the motions would switch. But I don't understand this concept in an instantaneous sense

Kamster
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1 Answers1

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If the balls are on a flat frictionless plane the balls would not be able to control which way they go(you would be able to push them), because they have no traction. So, they would just spin and be uncontrollable. Let's say though that they are on a very slick surface, neither of the machines would have registered the fact that one of them glided along the surface for a second. So, depending on how far apart they are the ball that had been gliding would have either run into the other ball or gotten closer to the other ball. In the instantaneous problem, it will probably not matter, because the computers are so fast. Even if the computers were slow though, one ball would go forward, wait, and the other ball would go forward so it would be like playing catch-up. I don't think the machine should have a problem moving as soon as you turned it on.

Benichiwa
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