Does'nt time tick away at the same pace throughout the universe. If i went faster then the speed of light to another star, turned around and came back, and it took me ten seconds, why wouldn't ten seconds simply have elapsed?
2007-03-08 03:29:51 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You can't - the idea of going really fast and then back in time is a logical fallacy.
Time slows down as you approach the speed of light, a process called time dilation. What happens is that you, the traveler, feel as if you're moving at a normal pace. In actuality, you are moving very slowly relative to a neutral, stationary observer.
So the thinking is that if you can slow down time (time actually stops at light speed) by going fast, then by going even faster you must be able to REVERSE time. As far as we know, though, nothing can go faster than the speed of light, although a special particle called a "tachyon" has been proposed, though never observed or proved to exist.
Problem is that moving near light speed also causes length contraction, meaning that you shrink, and if you reach light speed then you shrink to an infinitesimally-small point. You'd die, and there'd be no point in continuing your travels, would you?
2007-03-08 03:39:12 · answer #1 · answered by Brian L 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The question implies that if you could exceed the speed of light you could turn around and see the past catch up to you,
there is a time vector from the beginning of the universe that prevails now.
It is the shortest time span that can exist,if you try to reduce it,it goes out of existence.
The speed of light is predicated on this time span,to go faster you would have to be able reduce this pulse and it could not exist.
2007-03-09 02:55:24 · answer #2 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well theres a very long and detailed explanation about relativity that im sure someone will give and you will not read. So the short answer is time slows down when youre travelling at significant fractions of light speed.
2007-03-08 03:39:28 · answer #3 · answered by Answer guy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because at a really fast speed, you will experience a phenomenon called time dilation.
When you are travelling at a fast speed, time will slow down for you, but not to others who are "normal". There is a formula which will determine Lorentz factor which is simply how much time slow down at certain speed.
Where your speed is at light speed, Lorentz factor becomes infinity, which means time come to complete stop.
At speed higher than light in vacuum, Lorentz factor becomes negative, which means time goes backward. Hence, you are travelling back in time.
Well, it sounds simple but in eistein theory of relativity, you cannot reach light speed nor go faster than light. So. with current technology, don't bother thinking about travelling back in time
2007-03-08 03:43:53 · answer #4 · answered by puakk 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
einstiens theory of relativity tells us that time and space are not seperate but woven together. so you cant have one without the other. i know thats hard to grasp but trust me its true. so the only way you could travel backwards in time is to go faster than the speed of light, this means you would get there before it happened (going back in time) it is impossible to go faster than the speed of light (according to our current understanding of physics) so time travel isnt possible...think about it like this...if time travel is possible, why arent there any visitors from the future?????
2007-03-08 06:21:12 · answer #5 · answered by Bones 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I got a chuckle (and a guffaw) out of "Wile E Coyote, Super Genius".
One of my favorites!
YA JUST CAN'T TRAVEL FASTER!
...than the speed of light "FTL" (as far as we know), so unless we have like a MAJOR breakthrough the question is irrelevant.
Sorry!
2007-03-08 11:02:03 · answer #6 · answered by stargazergurl22 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋