Can't you just do the pencil experiment they describe?

However I don't think this is something to bother with experiments for. I'm sure it can be resolved by purely theoretical work. You can always test the results of the theory by referring to existing experiments or just making sure that the new theory produces exactly the same predictions as the classical one.

I'm not entirely sure what the new idea is tho. Classical mechanics can easily describe that combined linear and rotational motion. The linear and rotational momentum conservation laws can still be applied and still work without contradictions. The net angular momentum of the two rods is zero even tho one is spinning. Similarly the net linear momentum is also zero.


Last edited by kallog; 09/04/10 04:51 AM.