speed of light

[thekraut]

as for the guys in a spaceship flying at speed of light time stops and they are everywhere at the same time (at least in their world), would there be any way for them to stop at a certain destination? let's assume for a moment that travel at the speed of light is possible.

[jenstar]

If we assume that travel at the speed of light is possible, then we can make up whatever rules we like so yeah, why not?

[thekraut]

Thanks, that really helps.

[sddsddean]

If I remember correctly, due to Einsteins theories, if you travel at the speed of light you theoretically have infinite mass. Therefore you have infinite inertia, therefore you can't stop!! So theoretically it is impossible to travel at the speed of light; but it is just a theory. No one has got close enough to the speed of light to find out for real!

[anthomson]

At the speed of light, time stops for the traveller. So a photon, which does travel at the speed of light, will find itself arriving at its destination the instant it sets of, regardless of far it actually travels. I don't fully understand the concept of being everywhere at the same time, I think this is a quantum physic's theory and and does not just apply to things travelling at the speed of light.

[darth vader]

My opinion is that the "speed of light theory impossible due to infinite mass" idea is flawed as light itself travels at the speed of light. I don't have enough physics knowledge to prove this however, so have taken a screenshot and will say "told you so" in 30 years time when they work it out.

[sft42]

...but darth, light has no mass which is the only reason it can travel at the speed it does....when anything with any mass does accelerate it gains mass once the speeds reach significant fractions of the speed of light.

The theory goes along the lines of once you achieve the speed of light you attain the mass of the universe, time stands still and you simultainiously are everywhere at once.....sort of like a really good orgasm.

This of course can't be proven in any way so there's no real way of knowing what would happen........I'll get back to you on this next time I read Brief History again.....I might understand a little more of it next time.

[Korel]

The Theory of Relativity is'nt Quantum Mechanics it's relative physics but you did hit on somthing as the though the two are considered most likly right they do not Gel together. Anyway The theory of relativity states that it is impossible for anything to accelerate to the speed of light but things that are already traleling at the speed of light as soon as they come into existance Eg photons,and other subatomic particle are always traveling at the speed of light. But what you hav'nt taken into consideration is what speed of light though the speed of light is constant it varies through different substances, Through air it's roughly 300000000m/s where as through glass it 200000000m/s the it can be slowed to realy slow speeds through dense gells ect. Back to your people in the spaceship if the where traveling at the speed of light they would be a nasty splat on the back wall before they even reached it. Example of light travel you leave the house and travel at the speed of light then arrive at the shops. it would be as if you stopped time for yourself. you arrive 3 seconds later. everyong else on the planet is 3 seconds older but you are not. Relative physics works in curves, the tightest of which is light speed. breaking light speed would been traveling in a streight line to your destonashion theoretically before you acctually left. making things a bit more complicated. Sorry i went of topic i just got caught up in my rampings.