If it did I assume it would be invisible.
2007-05-11 03:50:22 · 18 answers · asked by dibble12003 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Because the amount of energy required to accelerate any material object to the speed of light is infinite. Only massless objects (e.g. photons) can reach the speed of light.
2007-05-11 03:56:47 · answer #1 · answered by JLynes 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
People tried to measure the speed of light while the earth was moving in orbit toward a star and then away from the star a half year later. Contrary to intuition, the speed turned out to be the same. More experiments were done and it was found out that no matter how anything was moving with respect to anything else everybody always measured the same sped of light. That fact was expressed mathematically and Einstein developed a theory around it which has been supported by many measurements. You just cannot go faster than light
2007-05-11 11:11:54 · answer #2 · answered by Gene 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because a person or space craft would have mass. As you increase speed towards the speed of light, your mass would increase to an infinite amount. The amount of energy required to move an ever increasing mass would also increase til the point of infinity.
We do not yet know of anything capable of providing an infinite and ongoing source of energy.
Photons of light do not have mass (or at least a measurable amount). Interestingly it has been theorized that under certain conditions, light can exceed the recognized speed of light in a vacuum (C) or 186,262 MPS.
Basically this limitation of traveling at or beyond the speed of light comes from Einstein's Special Theory or Relativity.
You can get some information here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faster-than-light
2007-05-11 11:08:17 · answer #3 · answered by Cincinnatus 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As an object approaches the speed of light its mass would increase, eventually becoming infinite.
Since it would take an infinite amount of energy to accelerate an infinite mass, it is currently believed that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.
2007-05-11 11:01:46 · answer #4 · answered by Jaz Khera 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Based on Einstein's relativity theory, as an object approaches the speed of light, it's physical dimensions must change such that both its mass and its length in the direction of travel approach infinity. Actually achieving light speed would also mean achieving infinite length and mass.
This is not possible.
The concept of visibility at greater than light speed becomes irrelevant.
2007-05-11 11:01:08 · answer #5 · answered by lunatic 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't.
In fact, we distinguish between tachyons and "tardyons" a.k.a. Bradyons.
What is "said" by the theory is that it would take an infinite amount of energy to take a mass that is travelling slower than light and raise its speed to the speed of light (and a bit more to take it beyond).
By symmetry, it would take an infinite amount of energy to take a massive tachyon and slow it down to the speed of light (and a bit more to get its speed below the speed of light). Therefore, it appears impossible to cross the speed of light. But, if you are there, already...
The object itself would be invisible but there might be some radiation from it (or because of it).
The speed of light in water is less than the speed of light in vacuum. It is the "vacuum" speed that is the limit. There is no rule against particles going faster than "speed of light in water" while they are in water. When they do, they emit Cherenkov radiation (which has been detected).
2007-05-11 11:02:15 · answer #6 · answered by Raymond 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This conclusion is derived directly from experiment. In 1887 Albert Michelson and Edward Morley demonstrated that the speed of light was independent of the rotation of the earth about its own axis, as well as its rotation about the sun, and the sun's movement in the galaxy. In other words, the velocity of light is independent of the frame of reference of the observer; i.e., it is the same for every observer.
To accommodate this fact, Newton's equations describing motion had to be modified, and this led Einstein to one variation of his famous Special Relativity:
Mass-now = (Mass-at-rest)/(sqrt(1 - (v^2/c^2)))
Where v = velocity of the mass and c = velocity of light.
As you can see, when v get close to c, then v^2/c^2 gets close to 1, which makes the denominator get smaller and smaller, which make the mass get larger and larger. If v were to ever equal c the equation becomes undefined, but the mass of the object grows large without bound; i.e., tend to infinity.
Hence the conclusion: you cannot exceed the speed of light.
HTH
Charles
2007-05-11 11:05:39 · answer #7 · answered by Charles 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Raymond is correct
Also the speed of light in a vacuum is constant and independent of the relative motion of the observer, as I travel at speed 'u' relative to some light source and measure the speed of light from that source I will get exactly the same speed as you will travelling at some speed 'v'. This is becuase the speed of light is given by
c=1/(Eu)^0.5
where E is epsilon - the permittivity of free space (a vacuum)
u is mu - the permeability of free space
which is independent of all other factors
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light#Constant_velocity_from_all_inertial_reference_frames
2007-05-11 11:24:39 · answer #8 · answered by zebbedee 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Light does travel faster than sound. We see lightning, then hear thunder. Maybe we just don't have the technology yet to time things traveling faster than light and can't see it with the naked eye.
2007-05-11 10:58:21 · answer #9 · answered by suzieq_64093 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can go faster than the speed of light in a normal, road going car. If you put light through liquid sodium it travels at around 38 mph.
Also, black holes slow light down so much that it nearly stops, making it invisible(or black, which is not really a colour)
2007-05-11 14:56:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋