Speed of light - physics people read lol
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#21
the speed of light has to be a universal constant, because maxwell's equations for electromagnetic waves stipulate it to be so. If you travelled at the speed of light, and c wasn't constant (ie you moved at 0 relative to a light wave) the wave would be destroyed (it would stop oscillating and propagating) which is impossible, as it would not be destroyed in other frames. The only way to reconcile this is to make relative time slow down
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#22
Relativity my dear watson (erm...ahem)
Light will always travel at light speed in a vaccum no matter what your speed. If you are travelling at light speed and shone a touch in front of you, the light would travel away from you at light speed. That's the idea behind relativity, all observers see things differently from their own point of view and each observers view obeys the laws of physics.
Einstein actually pondered this question himself as a child, he used to imagine racing after a beam of light. His later work concluded that you could never catch up or remain an equal distance from the light beam as it would travel away from you at the speed of light.
In short - if you are travelling at the speed of light and shone a torch, the light would travel away from you at light speed.
I know people will try and argue this etc etc but it is correct. I highly recommend the book 'About Time' by Paul Davies - this will clear things up for any doubters!
Light will always travel at light speed in a vaccum no matter what your speed. If you are travelling at light speed and shone a touch in front of you, the light would travel away from you at light speed. That's the idea behind relativity, all observers see things differently from their own point of view and each observers view obeys the laws of physics.
Einstein actually pondered this question himself as a child, he used to imagine racing after a beam of light. His later work concluded that you could never catch up or remain an equal distance from the light beam as it would travel away from you at the speed of light.
In short - if you are travelling at the speed of light and shone a torch, the light would travel away from you at light speed.
I know people will try and argue this etc etc but it is correct. I highly recommend the book 'About Time' by Paul Davies - this will clear things up for any doubters!
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#24
(Original post by Nylex)
God, we're starting Relativity next week. I don't like all this stuff about frames
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God, we're starting Relativity next week. I don't like all this stuff about frames

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#25
The Maths isn't what worries me, it's just the concept of frames and stuff moving relative to other frames, inertial frames, etc.
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#26
As we havnt tried to travel at the speed of light,we can never be 100% sure that these things are going to happen. We can only wonder. All these theories may be wrong.
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#27
(Original post by Unregistered007)
As we havnt tried to travel at the speed of light,we can never be 100% sure that these things are going to happen. We can only wonder. All these theories may be wrong.
As we havnt tried to travel at the speed of light,we can never be 100% sure that these things are going to happen. We can only wonder. All these theories may be wrong.
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#28
(Original post by elpaw)
but they have been tested in labs by accelerating electrons etc close tot he speed of light, also muon bursts travelling at 0.97c have a higher half-life than normal.
but they have been tested in labs by accelerating electrons etc close tot he speed of light, also muon bursts travelling at 0.97c have a higher half-life than normal.
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#29
(Original post by Unregistered007)
Have the ever accelerated them at c? or over c? Obviously, you cant see an electron so you couldnt see the its perspective of the light it sees. Now that would be interesting. Putting a little camera on top of the electron ;-)
Have the ever accelerated them at c? or over c? Obviously, you cant see an electron so you couldnt see the its perspective of the light it sees. Now that would be interesting. Putting a little camera on top of the electron ;-)

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#30
(Original post by elpaw)
You can't go faster than the speed of light. fullstop.
You can't go faster than the speed of light. fullstop.
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#31
(Original post by edders)


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#32
(Original post by TIGTIG)
now now one day it might like look at star treck in comparrison of now a days everythings near enough there except a teleporter thats the next step
now now one day it might like look at star treck in comparrison of now a days everythings near enough there except a teleporter thats the next step

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#33
(Original post by TIGTIG)
now now one day it might, like look at star treck in comparrison. Today everythings near enough there in technology except a teleporter thats the next step.mobile phones were bricks now there too small
now now one day it might, like look at star treck in comparrison. Today everythings near enough there in technology except a teleporter thats the next step.mobile phones were bricks now there too small
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#34
(Original post by icy)
u could do with some punctuation

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#36
(Original post by elpaw)
yes, but the technlogy in star trek is not about going faster than light, its about warping space-time to your advantage so that the distance between events A and B is tiny.
yes, but the technlogy in star trek is not about going faster than light, its about warping space-time to your advantage so that the distance between events A and B is tiny.
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#37
BTW...it is possible to travel faster than light FACT. It is true that no matter that has any mass can travel faster than light, but there are certain particles that have no instrinsic mass and actually do travel faster than the speed of light. These particles (of which i forget the name) have been detected and verified.
E=mc2 only prevents matter with a mass from travelling faster than light.
E=mc2 only prevents matter with a mass from travelling faster than light.
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#38
(Original post by NikNak)
BTW...it is possible to travel faster than light FACT. It is true that no matter that has any mass can travel faster than light, but there are certain particles that have no instrinsic mass and actually do travel faster than the speed of light. These particles (of which i forget the name) have been detected and verified.
E=mc2 only prevents matter with a mass from travelling faster than light.
BTW...it is possible to travel faster than light FACT. It is true that no matter that has any mass can travel faster than light, but there are certain particles that have no instrinsic mass and actually do travel faster than the speed of light. These particles (of which i forget the name) have been detected and verified.
E=mc2 only prevents matter with a mass from travelling faster than light.
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#39
(Original post by elpaw)
yes i do know that, they're called tachyons
yes i do know that, they're called tachyons
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#40
(Original post by elpaw)
yes i do know that, they're called tachyons
yes i do know that, they're called tachyons
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