My original idea for this involved two tracks (like the original trolley problem) and which track you chose (for minimum casualties) would depend on your interpretation of the physics problem.

Unfortunately it ended up super complicated and I made this simple one instead.

But adding the train on a treadmill is a great way to overcomplicate it further if I ever go for the complicated version.

[–] blurr11@programming.dev 3 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I think it's A because I assume a portal stitches two points in space to each other.

So if I have a surface A and B with a portal ']' in the middle A0 A1 ] A2 A3. B0 B1 [ B2 B3

A portal creates a new surface

A0 A1 ][ B2 B3

And if you move the portal the new surface changes.

A0 A1 A2 ][ B3

Speed is distance over time. When a portal moves the object that passed through the portal stays stationary. Let's say I am standing on B2. When the portal advances I find myself standing on A2 , have i moved? No the environment has changed but i am still in the same relative position with respect to the portal surface. No distance travelled so no speed.

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[–] Squirrel@thelemmy.club 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Suppose the blue portal is instead aligned parallel to and facing the ground. Maybe a 18" off the ground, a little higher than a person is wide. Additionally, the person is standing upright on the track.

In the above scenario, with the ground rushing at the person, does it suddenly "stop," with the person gently falling onto the ground? This is the same problem, I suppose, but from a different perspective.

Now, what if that blue portal is instead only 6" off the ground? Is the person embedded in the ground, or does the universe crash?

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