The Modern Physics Puzzler

Consider a pair of scissors. As the scissors close, the point of contact between the two blades moves the right. This "point of contact" moves faster than any part of either blade. Do you think it would be possible for the point of contact to move faster than the speed of light? (A similar problem: Can the speed at which the beam of a flashlight moves across a far wall exceed the speed of light? You can rotate the light in your hand rapidly, but the beam will sweep across a far away wall at a much greater speed. Can the "speed of the sweep" exceed the speed of light?)



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