if we are driving a car at the speed of light and turn on the headlights then what will happen?
2006-08-13 07:23:08 · 15 answers · asked by fire and water 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
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2006-08-13 07:30:53 · answer #1 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This question is quite useless, since going at the speed of light is impossible in the first place.
However, if it were possible, then:
1. When going at the speed of light, time halts, theredore at the time when going at the speed of light, nothing changes. You can't move, and the headlights can't turn on.
2. According to you, the car would be moving at infinite speeds and you should think twice before you decide to go at the speed of light because at the instance your car reaches the speed of light, you die! Why? Well, you always feel the time is moving at the same speed, so when time is slow in your spaceship, you see the outside world moving faster. When time halts, you simply do not feel the time when you're moving at the speed of light, you feel just before you started moving at the speed of light and just after. And for something to stop you from continuing at the speed of light, it will probably also kill you.
Now there is a problem, what if nothing can stop you and you never crash or something, then what would you feel. There is a simple resolution, it's not possible to move at the speed of light.
2006-08-13 08:15:52 · answer #2 · answered by Science_Guy 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I remember this question from Steven Wright's stand-up act eons ago! And I've always wondered myself. It would seem if you're already going the speed of light, the headlights would come on, but the light wouldn't be able to illuminate anything in front of you. On the other hand, perhaps the light would be able to move at the speed of light away from you, but...that would mean the light beams are moving FASTER than the speed of light...I think...Thanks a lot, I need an aspirin now!!
2006-08-13 07:33:53 · answer #3 · answered by skovol_007 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Better to assume you are driving at NEAR the speed of light - Albert's equations won't tolerate mass going the speed of light (infinate mass and infinate energy needed to accelerate to this speed.) At very NEAR the speed of light, everything would seem perfectly normal to you - the headlights would turn on and illuminate the path ahead. It is because of your time frame reference - and, no, your headlight beams would not be traveling faster than the speed of light - not to any observer, including yourself. Confusing, isn't it?
2006-08-13 14:02:53 · answer #4 · answered by LeAnne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Imagine someone throwing a ball at you at 20 mph while you stand still. Ouch.
Now imagine they throw while you run away from it at 10 mph. the relative speed of the ball towards you is [20 mph - 10 mph] = 10 mph.
Your question is similar to this. However -
light ALWAYS moves at the speed of light - if you are moving away from it, its 186,000 miles a second.
If you're moving towrds it, its 186,000 miles a second.
The light would shine away from you, at the speed of light, at whatever speed you went at. Now, light speed is not possible for physical matter so this can't [currently ] be proved.
This was Einsteins revolutionary idea in the early 1900's, which has been verified ever since.
Its so hard to accept because its so far out of our normal experience of life.
2006-08-13 07:41:36 · answer #5 · answered by paul p 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nothing would happen. If your car was traveling at the speed of light you would be in a singularity, matter, light, and in fact all energy would be the same. Kinda like a black hole.
However if you were coming toward me coming close to the speed of light, I would see your lights sort of bluish because of the doppler effect. If you were backing away they'd be sort of red.
2006-08-13 07:35:23 · answer #6 · answered by Wicked Mickey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing. The car, you and the headlight become light.
2006-08-13 07:29:35 · answer #7 · answered by mikey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
um maybe it would be fire and your car would burn. but that would suck. hopefully they dont make cars driving at the speed of light at night, so then just dont use headlights! :)
2006-08-13 17:00:18 · answer #8 · answered by Mimi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the current price of gas, I would not recommend driving at that speed.
2006-08-13 08:00:28 · answer #9 · answered by gtk 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the car would be burned out first of all, the headlights would break ,
2006-08-13 08:37:06 · answer #10 · answered by PyroKidd 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nothing would happen you cant go faster than the speed of light
2006-08-13 07:57:52 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋