If a spaceship passes another spaceship and both are travelling at the speed of light, do they not go past each other at twice the speed of light? If so, that isn't supposed to be possible?!#
2006-10-10 02:49:39 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Two seperate questions.
1: There is no such thing as an unstoppable force or an immovable object therefore the question is philisophical not scientific.
2: Einstien predicted that the speed of light is constant and as you go faster time slows down so that the speed of light doesn't change. Experiments have subsiquently proved him right. It follows from this that the speed of light is unattainable since, in order for the speed of light eminating from the moving object to stay the same to a stationary observer, time would have to stop. Therefore your second question is also philisophical.
2006-10-10 06:10:06 · answer #1 · answered by marineboy63 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They cannot travel at the speed of light anyway, but also you must note that the velocity is relative to a given point of reference - so the spaceship can only travel at a maximum of the speed of light from the point of view of the other spaceship.
To compensate for what may seem like the paradox of a spaceship hitting twice the speed of light, time slows down for the observer on the other spaceship.
See: SPECIAL RELATIVITY
2006-10-10 03:02:23 · answer #2 · answered by Stuart T 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
when an unstoppable object meets an immovable force- maybe that's how the 'big bang' happened and created the universe! about the spaceships, if they are going in opposite directions, the relative velocity will be twice the speed they are traveling at, not the actual velocity
2006-10-10 02:54:33 · answer #3 · answered by drbony 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
u say both are travelling at the speed of light right? now for example can 2 cars travelling 60KM/h take over each other? wandering in a 3 dimentional graph it might not be possible..but wht about a graph with many dimensions? what if one passes through a time warp? can one take over another?
2006-10-10 03:00:36 · answer #4 · answered by thadu 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there is a special formula. Lorenz formula or something. No, they don't pass each other at twice the speed of light. Can't remember the formula though. Find a physics text book. 1st year uni physics. Maybe even a-level.
2006-10-10 04:04:19 · answer #5 · answered by helen g 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
depends on the magnitude of the forces of both involved.
"if" the inertia of motion of the unstoppable force is equal to the inertia at rest of the immovable object there will be no effect because of Newton's laws of motion, the immovable object will exerts it inertia-at-rest force directly parrallel to the line of force of the unstoppable force, hence, no movement, no motion. the inertia of both has change to a potential energy waiting to be unleashed.
but you know in every rule.. exceptions..
2006-10-10 04:34:35 · answer #6 · answered by tone 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unmeasurable heat is formed
No. The speed is relative to the object not the virtual closure.
thadu
You can only graph three dimensions unless the fourth is time.
2006-10-10 03:02:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They pass through each other and even if they attain such speed they would have infinite mass and a very very short length so it is impossible to predict what will happen
2006-10-10 03:18:21 · answer #8 · answered by Akshay p 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Trick question:
Neither can exist at the speed of light, as both are transformed into energy.
2006-10-10 02:53:06 · answer #9 · answered by DBG 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
the immovable object is moved by the unstopable force
2006-10-10 02:51:12 · answer #10 · answered by russellhamuk 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋