2006-06-19 15:22:04 · 13 answers · asked by Dr. Crocker 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
the speed of light is constant no matter what your reference frame is, so the light from your headlights travels at the speed of light (as seen by you in the moving car and by a person standing on the side of the road)
2006-06-19 15:28:17 · answer #1 · answered by Michael T 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you were traveling at the speed of light when you turned on your headlights then No, you would still be in the darkness. You would be traveling as fas as the lights could go, unless you slowed down below the speed of light, the light would never be able to catch up.
2006-06-19 15:25:27 · answer #2 · answered by sawilke1212 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The light from your headlights will move away at the speed of light. The speed of light is an absolute constant, meaning that it's totally independant of the velocity of its source.
2006-06-19 17:51:51 · answer #3 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Find a vehicle that has a need for headlights that can go the speed of light. Now that would be an interesting concept car. :)
2006-06-19 16:15:44 · answer #4 · answered by cgray411 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I presume you mean that if you are traveling in your car at the speed of light, and turn on your headlights, what will you see.
First of all, you and your car have mass and so cannot reach the speed of light. If you were traveling at the speed of light relative to the surface of the earth, then when you turn on your lights, the photons will move away at the speed of light relative to your car.
They will also be going the speed of light relative to the earth.
2006-06-19 15:49:30 · answer #5 · answered by enginerd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well the theory of relativity states the faster you go, the more time slows down. So, if you are traveling at the speed of light, time will be at a standstill so if you managed to turn the lights on they would never actually produce anything because a light bulb filament lets out a certain number of photons per second and if time is at a standstill none of the photons will be released.
- So, essentially time stops at the speed of light.
- The light bulb frozen in time wouldn't be able to produce any light.
- The secret isn't making yourself go faster, but making space twist around to where you want to go.
Now if you want to think in terms of twisting space, think of it like ripping a piece of the road in front of walmart and moving it to your driveway so you end up directly at walmart. Problem is that isn't faster than light travel.
2006-06-19 15:45:08 · answer #6 · answered by sibilant_ghost 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are traveling at the speed of light then you have diluted time so much that all the clocks on your spaceship will stop, along with time. Hence, you are frozen and unable to do anything. There can be no cause and effect in frozen (stopped) time, hence even if you were able to turn on a light switch (you would not), the lights would not go on.
2006-06-19 17:54:06 · answer #7 · answered by Master Quark 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually according to Einstein's Theory of Relativity.... even if you are traveling at the speed of light and are in front of the lights when they are turned on, the light will still catch up to you. You could not outrun the light. Sorry.
2006-06-19 15:37:21 · answer #8 · answered by BeC 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you could turn your headlights on FASTER than the speed of light, you could watch yourself turn them on afterwards.
2006-06-19 15:32:18 · answer #9 · answered by Nobody 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You wouldn't need to turn them on. Assuming you could accelerate them to the speed of light, all their mass would be converted to energy. This energy would mainly take the form of electromagnetic radiation, presumably with a broad spectrum. In essence, you could see your lights become lights. However, if you were accelerating along with them, you would shine just as bright, but not see anything...
2006-06-19 15:40:25 · answer #10 · answered by Karman V 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋