I was asked, what happens if an unstoppable force hits an unmovable object?

Question

the answer given was the unstoppable force would bounce off the unmoveable object.

the only unstoppable force i could think of was love and i couln't think of anything unmoveable, so my guess was they would join. (maybe creating circular motion if by unmoveable they meant back and forth,...,)

why was the answer given better? my other question is doesn't something have to stop to change direction. simple explanation appreciated.

Answer 1

That's a dumb question. Glad I never got asked that at school.

Answer 2

Some devotions are immovable. Hehe.

Try solving it in Newtonian momentum theory. An immovable object would be an object of infinite mass, and unstoppable force would be that of infinite momentum. I intuit that the force would indeed "bounce", with its direction reversed while its unstoppability remains the same. More able men or women can prove this more satisfactorily.

Answer 3

they would obliterate each other

Answer 4

One big wrack

only if it goes the exact opposite direction

Answer 5

If the two objects are really "unstoppable" and "immovable", then the answer must be that they pass through each other.  The unstoppable object isn't stopped, and the immovable object hasn't moved.

Of course, I think it's really just a "thought experiment", as there are no such things as "unstoppable" and "immovable".

Answer 6

We did this subject in my dynamics class. Your kinda right, because they do "join" for a split second. This joining is where the velocity is equal to zero, so you are also right there. In order for an object to change direction the velocity must decrease to zero, it just MUST happen. For the unstoppable object to "stop" the unmovable object absorbs some of the energy from the moving object. This is where the objects "join". Then when the unmovable object cant absorb any more energy, the moving object changes direction and goes the opposite direction.

don't know if this helps you

Answer 7

the force would hit the unmovable object and cause catastrophic failure?

Answer 8

When 2 hearts beat as one, probably disaster

Answer 9

Your mixing emotions and physics.  In physics if two objects carry the same density and mass then the moving objects redirects its momentum.  With emotions they are similar in the fashion of one person loving another and the other not wanting the Love.  The love is still moving it just changes its emotions and different feelings arise rather then what would have occurred.

Answer 10

There is no such thing as either an unstoppable force or an unmovable object.

Answer 11

there is no unstopable force there's only two circumstances to that question.

1. if force> object

    The object will be forces to moved by the force.

2. If force <object

    the object will not move, but the force trying to cause it to move will start to move in the exact opposite direction using the same force.

Answer 12

In the realm of physics the unstoppable force would change direction, not necessarily stopping.

Newton's law states that energy is neither lost or gained it is simply transferred.  So following Newtons law the unstoppable force doesnt lose any energy it is simply transferred into a different direction.  

If you jump do you stop? No you simply shift your weight to your feet and release the pressure in the opposite direction.  The unstoppable force would not stop it would simply take time to transfer energy from one direction into the other.  

May i get 10 points for this?

Answer 13

the force will pass through the object, without moving the object. they will pass each other, like ghosts.

Answer 14

The immovable object will apply an equable but opposite force on the force and balance it. There will be no bulk motion of the body, only some deflection however small.

Answer 15

@ those people who said that the object would reverse direction...

But if it reverses direction, isn't there a moment, no matter how brief, that the object is, in fact, stopped?

I notice that elbus36 didn't say that the object would reverse direction, just that it would change. I like that answer. I think he should get the points.

Answer 16

Can't have two world champions.  One of them would have to bow.

don't know which though.....

Answer 17

they would never join unless the unmovable object is strong enough to hold the unstoppable force. don't take it seriously.

Answer 18

The unstoppable force stops, the immovable object moves.