2007-02-03 11:41:16 · 12 answers · asked by philip s 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The only way to do that would be to create a vacuum that has less mass than that of the universe, which has little/no matter in it at all. But yes, if this could be achieved than it is possible
2007-02-03 11:44:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No.
Using wave particle duality theory, if light was converted so that it had mass, it would have infinite mass (by definition-it's light) and so no amount of extra energy would accelerate it any faster...does that make it clear?
Let's make one thing clear though, the speed of light is NOT a constant. When it is said that C, the speed of light is constant it is assumed that it refers to the speed of light in a vacuum. It is very easy to slow it down, just pass it through any translucent material. The defractive index describes the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the material.
Having had a look around google, you could say that the speed of light is proportional to the optical properties of the material it is passing through (back to defractive index). The fastest it can travel currently is through a vacuum. If you could make a vacuum MORE EMPTY then I guess the speed of light would increase. But how do you take away something from nothing?
2007-02-03 11:51:23 · answer #2 · answered by Finlay S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Srinidhi is correct, but I would like to add that scientists
calculated that the first Big Bang exceeded the speed
of light many times, until the Universe reached the point
of equilibrium, after which, the speed of light became
the maximum speed ever noticed, but the scientists
behind the accelerator in the USA are still trying! Give
the 10 points deservingly to Srinidhi.
2007-02-03 12:12:33 · answer #3 · answered by Ricky 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course not, the speed of light is the universe's speed limit.
Theres nothing in the universe that could go faster than the speed of light
2007-02-03 11:54:06 · answer #4 · answered by Shadow 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it is impossible, because you would need to create something less dense than nothing (vacuum)... which is by far impossible. but u can slow down the speed of light by changing the mediums it passes through. the denser the medium the slower the speed of light and vice versa
2007-02-03 14:14:32 · answer #5 · answered by pimpster 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. The speed of light is constant.
2007-02-03 11:43:53 · answer #6 · answered by Polo 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes it is.
João Magueijo is a cosmologist and lecturer in Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London, he says that laws of phisycs are changing in time, I believe him.
He is a supporter of the Variable Speed of Light theory of cosmology.
http://360.yahoo.com/lhjavierda HELP
2007-02-03 14:01:21 · answer #7 · answered by Javier 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's a great question!! I believe by the laws of physics, nothing travels faster than the speed of light.
2007-02-03 11:46:48 · answer #8 · answered by lanibear55 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The speed of light was determined through brilliant but flawed ex- periments. A light beam was put through a rotating prism and mathematically calculated. The light was wide spectrum visible light and in a medium (air). Einstein's theory of relativity (based on same) has been disproven several times. It is theoretically possible to exceed the speed of light as now defined, just as we exceeded the speed of sound.
2007-02-03 11:49:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
No, but you have to watch the definitions. Labs running quantum mechanical experiments periodically claim to violate this limit in special situations involving tunneling phenomena and such.
2007-02-03 12:10:45 · answer #10 · answered by SAN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋