Posted by grim (206.162.192.39) on August 25, 2003 at 18:37:42:
Here's a theoretical wheel, constructed out of material that could stand any stress force. It rests on perfect bearings that can support any load, any speed. Centripetal force is not a factor, its enclosed in a perfect vacuum chamber.
If it is truly out of balance it should start and accelerate. Since it can never reach a bottom, or stopping point, it should continuously accelerate. As it approaches light speed, Einstein says it should all get heavier, but
the imbalance would STILL be maintained in spite of that! Would it create a huge explosion as it reached the critical mass/energy point, or would it become so heavy it would end up being an artificially created "black hole",
or would it fling itself though the space-time continuum?
grim