2006-09-15 07:36:37 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The Lorentz transform, used extensively in the theory of relativity, claims we cannot reach the speed of light (c). The transform is L(v) = sqrt(1 - v^2/c^2); where v is the velocity of any inertial body.
Thus, if m is an at-rest mass, m' = m/L(v) is the mass of that body moving at v velocity. As you can see, when L(v = c) = 0; so that m' = m/L(v = c) = m/0 = m' = undetermined (aka infinity). From E = mc^2, if mass were infinite, there would be infinite energy, which is impossible.
Since v = c is impossible, the second part of your question has no meaning.
You may have heard of particles called tachyons. These are strictly wild a.. guesses (WAGs) by some people who speculate, but what if we could go higher than c...what would that mean? Well, tachyons are the WAG particles supposed to go faster than light.
2006-09-15 07:55:35 · answer #1 · answered by oldprof 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No.
Humans are a different manifestation of energy known as matter.
Matter cannot reach the speed of light without becoming pure energy, which is impossible.
In order to perform the conversion you would require that your mass becomes infinite and that you hold within you an infinite amount of energy.
As we all know having infinite energy cannot be done so no, it is impossible to reach the speed of light. You can continue to use more and more and more energy to go faster and faster, getting closer and closer to the speed of light.
But you will never reach the speed of light. If you are familiar with calculus, this is known as a limit of a function, where the function in this case is your energy, and the limit is the speed of light.
Ironically, dispite all of this it appears possible to travel faster than the speed of light by bending the fabric of space itself. I'm sure you've heard of a wormhole, and this is an example. However, in the case of a wormhole, you arn't actually moving faster than light, but your position is changing faster than the speed of light, which IS possible! :)
2006-09-15 08:06:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Doesn't seem likely we get to that speed. Travelling on a craft which simulated gravity by keeping the floor opposite to the direction of acceleration would be a feasible plan for long range space travel, reaching speeds where relativistic effects begin to dominate.
2006-09-15 07:50:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Can't be done. Einstein showed that nothing having a rest mass can go at the speed of light. Human survival is thus not an issue.
2006-09-15 07:40:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
If a human have been given in a spaceship( hypothetically ) and "straight away performed" mild velocity and then traveled at mild velocity for an entire year then (got here to a right now provide up, reversed direction, right this moment performed mild velocity and ) got here back to earth, it would be precisely 2 years in a protracted time earth and the vacationer may be precisely 2 years older. in spite of the undeniable fact that to the OBSERVER on the earth who WATCHED this technique, you will possibly see the vacationer circulate away earth, freeze in time, not age for an entire year, abruptly look a year older, proceed to be frozen at that age and abruptly look yet another year older back at earth. Its the image that undergoes Time Dilation, not the quite individual. via fact the advice with regard to the ameliorations interior the passage of time are stricken by the value of the vacationer, the advice hurries up or slows down for this reason. the quite passage of time is a usually going on consistent inspite of ones physique of reference, velocity, acceleration, or relative action.
2016-10-15 00:57:08 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would say so because 80 years ago people said that traveling at the speed of sound was unnatainable. look at us now, we have the ability to travel 7 times the speed of sound.
2006-09-15 07:41:09 · answer #6 · answered by Connor R 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Proven by Einstein, nothing is more than the speed of light.
2006-09-16 04:46:27 · answer #7 · answered by Mikhil M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Besides the having a resting mass issue, there is also the issue of needing infinate fuel, an impossible concept for us now... especially with our fuel-abusing tendancies.
2006-09-15 17:51:39 · answer #8 · answered by iMi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. All forces would be overcome and complex matter would not exist at light speed.
2006-09-15 14:13:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Einstein proved that it can't be done. Also, you don't even need to do that math. Just think about it with common sense. No matter how good technology gets, how could humans ever move that fast? They can't!
2006-09-15 07:42:00 · answer #10 · answered by عبد الله (ドラゴン) 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋