Hypothetically, if you could travel at the speed of light in a car, would the headlights work or not?
2006-10-21 04:28:21 · 8 answers · asked by ace1golfguy 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
They would probably work, but you wouldnt be able to see the lights on. For instance, the filiment in the light would come on but it wouldnt project any light. The speed of light shouldnt affect the electrical filiment other than the fact that the wind from the speed of light would crush you and your entire car.
Why you're not going to try it are you?
2006-10-21 04:31:21 · answer #1 · answered by Theandysullivan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No they would not as the purpose of a headlight is to see what is ahead of you. If the car was travelling at the speed of light, hypothetically, the car would be moving at the same speed as the light emitted from the headlight so they would be "tied" in a race.
2006-10-21 11:30:44 · answer #2 · answered by San Jose 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you traveled at the speed of light one photon from your headlight reflecting to you would hit you with infinite force. In other words, you can't travel that fast. The entire universe doesn't have enough energy to make one electron travel that fast.
2006-10-21 15:47:25 · answer #3 · answered by Nomadd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they would work. The speed of light is a constant, not matter what your frame of reference is. Its very anti-intuitive.
The really weird thing about quantum physics is that you can be moving at close to the speed of light, and your friend can be standing still, and if you both measure the speed of an incoming or outgoing photon, you both still get the same exact reading, and that reading is the speed of light. Like I said, it is entirely anti-intuitive, but that is how quantum physics works!
2006-10-21 11:50:42 · answer #4 · answered by Westward 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the headlights would turn-on, but as you have found out at even 60 MPH on a dark road, they would be of little use because they'd not have the range to cover the ground in front of you as fast as you are approaching it.
2006-10-21 11:37:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
from outside of the car, the whole thing would light up. From inside of the car, the world would be completely black.
2006-10-21 11:29:45 · answer #6 · answered by Chris C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Westward is essentially correct. "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene explains all of this neat stuff in simple terms, if you want to pick it up to learn more
2006-10-21 12:00:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
just turn your lights on a few seconds before you put it in drive...lol...give the light a head start...just don't exceed the speed of light...
2006-10-21 11:37:23 · answer #8 · answered by Dirtydog 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋