Information transmitted at speeds greater than C

[alex.enduro73]

Hello,

a question for all of you with its experiment.
If I have a material that has a Bulk modulus higher, the diamond type (442 GPa) if I create a tube of diamond along 1 miles (or length less) with appropriate supports to decrease as much as possible the friction.
At the same time I have a source with a beam of light, and on the other end I receiver measures the time that I was late arriving light.
The tube ends in a diamond has a servo for actuating the movement of longitudinal movement that can be recorded from the other end with a sensor.
By activating both instantly (or in sequence it is important to measure the latency), motion tube diamond and activation beam of light, which would be the information that will come first?
If it should be noted the movement of the tube with a latency less than the arrival of the light beam will have discovered a way of communicating information faster than light. thanks
Alexander

 

[A.T.]

A mechanical signal is never faster than light, because on the atomic level it is also based on EM forces. I recommend you this video:

 

[CWatters]

Lets say you hit the end of the diamond tube with a hammer. The shock wave will travel down the tube at the speed of sound in diamond which according to this web page is "only" 12,000 meters per second. Quite a bit slower than the speed of light.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/sound-speed-solids-d_713.html

The speed of sound in any material cannot exceed the speed of light for the reasons given in the video at about 4mins in.

 

[Nugatory]

There is a FAQ on this topic over in the relativity forum:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/can-i-send-a-signal-faster-than-light-by-pushing-a-rigid-rod.536289/

 

[PJC01]

Hello Alexander,

Thank you for sharing your experiment and question. It is an interesting concept to consider the use of a material with a high Bulk modulus, such as diamond, to potentially transmit information faster than the speed of light. However, it is important to note that the speed of light, or the speed of any electromagnetic wave, is considered to be the ultimate speed limit in the universe according to Einstein's theory of relativity.

While your experiment may show a delay in the arrival of the light beam due to the movement of the diamond tube, it is not necessarily evidence of information being transmitted faster than the speed of light. This is because the movement of the tube itself is limited by the speed of sound in the material, which is significantly slower than the speed of light.

In addition, there are other factors to consider such as the time it takes for the servo to activate the movement of the tube and the time it takes for the sensor to detect the movement. These delays could also contribute to the perceived latency in the arrival of the light beam.

Overall, it is important to approach any claims of faster-than-light communication with caution and to consider the physical limitations and principles that govern our universe. Thank you for your interesting experiment and question.