I stumbled accross this forum and find it interesting. I think having to validate those things we take as given is a healthy mental exercise, and we take nothing as more of a "given" than the Earth being round.
After reading the FAQ, I noticed the "official" FE explanation for the sensation of gravity on Earth is that the disc is accelerating upwards at G, around 9.81 m/s^2.
My question isn't about any sort of observed behavior that suggests otherwise, because, frankly, any REers who try to tell you that "gravity" as we accept it would behave any differently than a linear upward acceleration are wrong. There is no difference between standing in an gravatically isolated elevator that is accelerating upwards at 9.8 m/s^2, and standing on our beloved spherical earth; no difference in how fast objects fall, no difference in the behavior of the atmosphere, no difference in anything.
My only question is concerning the contradiction between the two following statements, provided in the official FAQ:
Q: "What about gravity?"
A1: The Earth is accelerating upwards at 1g (9.8m/s-2). This produces the same effect as gravity.
Q: "Doesn't this mean we'd be travelling at the speed of light, which is impossible?"
A: No, it is only impossible to accelerate above the speed of light, not to travel at it.
So which is it? Are we accelerating - and thus accelerating PAST the speed of light, something you label as impossible - or are we moving at a constant speed, which would not produce the effect of "gravity"?
Maybe I should explain:
The speed of light is about 300,000,000 m/s. This has been experimented on and proven independant of the supposed roundness of the earth, so I assume this is accepted. If we were accelerating "upwards" at a constant 9.81 m/s^2, we would surpass the speed of light in about a year.
(300,000,000 m/s) / (9.81 m/s^2) = 30,581,000 s
(30,581,000 s) / (60 s/minute) = 509,768 minutes
(509,768 minutes) / (60 minutes/hour) = 8494.73 hours
(8494.73 hours) / (23.96 hours/day) = 354.54 days
Now, I know for a fact the Earth has been around more than a year (at least 21). And since the Earth would have been traveling at the speed of light within a year of its existance - I'm assuming the Earth was stationary before I was born, becuase I can't prove otherwise - what has it been doing for the last 20 years?
Either we are traveling at exactly the speed of light, in which case there is no acceleration and no "gravity", or we are continuing to accelerate well past the speed of light, which the FE'ers own FAQ states as impossible.
Is there another explanation? And please no vague references to relativity or time slowing down as you approach the speed of light, because that has no bearing on the discussion. The Earth was created and has been accelerating for no less than 21 years, Earth time; relative to what isn't important.