2006-07-09 03:28:24 · 17 answers · asked by new_einstein 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
No - but the speed of light seems to be quite variable.
Check the following web site article on Livescience.com
http://www.livescience.com/technology/060518_light_backward.html
2006-07-22 15:39:01 · answer #1 · answered by Rockmeister B 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I assume that you mean a particle that has mass.
If so the answer is a simple "no".
The problem is that as a partlcle with mass is accelerated it "gains" mass expotentially. The word "expotentially" is a mathematical term that means that the mass grows faster the closer it gets to the speed of light. As it approaches the speed of light its mass becomes so great that there not enough energy in the universe to get it to move faster. So it never reaches the speed of light.
This principle has been demonstrated countless times in experiments involving accelerating subatomic particles that have mass. The mathematical law, developed by Albert Einstein, which is too hard to display here, predicts what behavior we can expect from particles with mass as they accelerate.
If you are talking about massless particles, like photons, they travel at the speed of light because they are light, but can be slowed down and in some querky experiments even stopped. But, and I think you will appreciate the joke, light canot travel faster than light.
Trying to understand why mass creates this limit to speed is one of the exciting areas of exploration in physics today. There are some reasonable hypotheses but nothing that has convinced all scientists yet. We are pretty sure that it is not because of the Unicorn Field Theory or any other metaphysical or astrological influence.
2006-07-09 10:52:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes electrical impulse travels faster, " For many years it was believed that the speed of electrical impulse had a theoretical speed limit of 186,000 miles per second, which is the speed of light. In recent years, however, it has been shown that the impulse of electricity can actually travel faster." Example: " Assume that a wire is long enough to be wound around the earth 10 times. If a power source and switch are on one end and a light on the other end, the light would turn on at the moment the switch was closed. It would take light approximately 1.3 seconds to travel around the earth 10 times.
2006-07-16 05:19:41 · answer #3 · answered by noodle_212 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When talking about speed of light, we should always keep in mind the medium involved.
Light travels at different speeds in different medium. The speed of light in that medium is also related to the refractive index of that medium.
There are existing particles which travel faster than light in some mediums. A well known example of that is Cherenkov radiations.
If you are talking about faster than light in vaccum, there are theories about particles called tachyons which ALWAYS travel faster than light. These particles have "negative" mass - whatever that is.. Speed of light is in a sense a limit on either side.
2006-07-09 10:44:55 · answer #4 · answered by csasanks 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have been accelerating particles to very high speeds for a long time at places like CERN. But even though they have applied far more acceleration to particles than Newtonian mechanics says should be needed to make them go faster than light, they still go slower. Instead, they obey Einstein's theory exactly, becoming more and more difficult to accelerate as they get closer and closer to the speed of light.
2006-07-09 10:50:09 · answer #5 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer any particles with mass they believe will not travel faster science believes right now than light however particles that have no mass may be able to move faster than light if given the right conditions.
2006-07-09 10:36:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even if molecules could speed up to the speed of light. There would be no way of knowing. Once the bodies molecules is sped up to light speed the aging process is sped up the body grows older until the body dies and deteriorates.
Let's say that there was a ray that could speed someones molecules to light speed. Exposing someone to the ray for one second would kill them. One minute they're there, and in one shot of a ray they just dissapear.
2006-07-21 12:54:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For now,no.When the particle-s speed it is the same of electromagnetic field the acceleration it is stopped.But, a body may have a speed over light speed, by other means.
2006-07-09 10:49:19 · answer #8 · answered by Leonard B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, a black hole can do it. Water goes faster as it goes down a drain and light goes faster as it enters a black hole.
A black hole is an area where the escape velocity is [greater] than the speed of light.
2006-07-20 07:17:55 · answer #9 · answered by uselessadvice 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, impossible. The speed of light is the universe's speed limit.
2006-07-09 10:32:28 · answer #10 · answered by Christopher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋