A Pitch At The Speed of Light (fun!)

[snapple]

http://what-if.xkcd.com/1/

What if a pitcher could throw a pitch at the speed of light?

[hellonewman]

This guy needs a girlfriend. Badly.

[d32123]

http://what-if.xkcd.com/1/

What if a pitcher could throw a pitch at the speed of light?

Where did you find this? Someone posted it on another forum I frequent a few days ago.

[35Knucklecurve]

This is wild - which I had a better grip on physics, but it's fun to try to put the pieces together. I wonder what would happen if a batter could swing as fast as the speed of light at the same time?

[theDurk]

Of course, by Newton's third law, by making that pitch, the pitcher would be moving toward the outfield at a speed equal to light divided by the ratio between the pitchers mass (say 180 lbs) and a baseball 5.25 ozs.) or about 340 miles per second. This is many times the escape velocity of Planet Earth, so he would be launched into space, although he would be incinerated before he got there. I'd teach Qualls that pitch.

[-tz]

Of course, by Newton's third law, by making that pitch, the pitcher would be moving toward the outfield at a speed equal to light divided by the ratio between the pitchers mass (say 180 lbs) and a baseball 5.25 ozs.) or about 340 miles per second. This is many times the escape velocity of Planet Earth, so he would be launched into space, although he would be incinerated before he got there. I'd teach Qualls that pitch.