this post was submitted on 02 May 2025
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xkcd

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Title text:

Unstoppable force-carrying particles can't interact with immovable matter by definition.

Transcript:

[An arrow pointing to the right and a trapezoid are labeled as 'Unstoppable Force' and 'Immovable Object' respectively.]
[The arrow is shown as entering the trapezoid from the left and the part of it in said trapezoid is coloured gray.]
[The arrow is shown as leaving the trapezoid to the right and is coloured black.]
[Caption below the panel:] I don't see why people find this scenario to be tricky.

Source: https://xkcd.com/3084/

explainxkcd for #3084

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Is Randall now just retelling YouTube videos from 2013? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eKc5kgPVrA

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago

Ugh. This is a good point. Force = energy, and even an immovable object can carry energy. I assume.

[–] [email protected] 66 points 1 week ago (3 children)

The expression as I heard included "an irresistible force."

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

"And irresistible is what I am, baby!"

[–] [email protected] 87 points 1 week ago (2 children)

That's on the nsfw version of xkcd

[–] [email protected] 49 points 1 week ago
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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Yeah, irresistible force is the version I know. Now I'm wondering if there are even more versions. Are they regional deviations?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

They are synonyms for that usage. The immovable object is neither stopping nor resisting the force.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Well I'm from Utica and I've never heard the term "irresistible force"

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not in Utica, no. It's an Albany expression.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Sure could go for some steamed hams right about now..

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 week ago

While not what you're asking for, but fun fact, in Asia, this sort of paradox is represented by the story of the all-piercing spear and the unpierceable shield in Chinese philosophy. So in Chinese and Japanese, the word for 'paradox' or 'contradiction' literally means 'spear-shield' (矛盾).

[–] [email protected] 64 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Facepalm Man i'm dumb, this is a great answer to that thought experiment.

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?" that image doesn't show a force meeting an object

[–] [email protected] 132 points 1 week ago (3 children)

They met, they just didn’t interact. Kinda like me at a work party.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (3 children)

That just moves the problem, what happens if I put a piece of paper between them? Unless they don't interact with anything they still face the same problem.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

That's pretty simple, if there is any matter they could both interact with in the way, it would be converted to energy and either expelled to the side or shunted to another dimension.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

There is no force without interaction, just linear momentum.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

"where's the food and booze?"

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

So who would win in a fight between the Juggernaut and the Blob?

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