4 ms·
The molasses analogy doesn't quite make sense. When an object moves through empty space it is not impeded by any field, otherwise it would slow down and eventua
by transfire 12y ago
The molasses analogy doesn't quite make sense. When an object moves through empty space it is not impeded by any field, otherwise it would slow down and eventually stop, which would in turn imply a special (absolute) frame of reference. So how can a "molasses" only affect accelerating objects? That is quite a peculiar condition for a field.
- Abraln 12y agoSounds like the ultimate non-Newtonian fluid to me. Also, since objects gain mass as they approach the speed of light, a better visualization might be a falling through air, where drag is mass and terminal velocity is the speed of light. It is not "slowing" so much as it is making going faster progressively more difficult.