2007-05-24 05:45:11 · 9 answers · asked by goring 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
yes but your mass increses at the same rate so that you weigh too much to actually achieve your destination
2007-05-24 05:48:29 · answer #1 · answered by barbarian31@sbcglobal.net 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sure, you are right. The travel time will be t = S/v; where S is the distance traveled and v is the velocity, based on what the observer outside the moving platform observes (e.g., your spouse back on Earth). So, the faster they go in that platform, the shorter time it takes. But that's just ordinary time, not relativistic, as far as the outside observer is concerned.
But that same outside observer, if she could, would see time on board the moving platform (e.g., a space ship) slow down. So she would see her husband stay relatively (pun intended) young compared to her own aging during the near light speed travel of her husband.
In fact, at about .99 c, 99% light speed, he would age only 14% of the lapsed time she ages. For example, after one year travel toward Alpha Centauri, he'd age only about 1.69 months while she aged that full year. So, given that Alpha Centauri is about four light years away, a round trip of a bit over eight years (as seen on Earth) would be needed without layovers. Meanwhile, the wife has aged a bit over eight years and he, the lucky stiff, has aged only a bit over 13.5 months...a bit over a year.
2007-05-24 13:40:12 · answer #2 · answered by oldprof 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are correct. Moving at near-light speed (light speed is impossible for anything with rest mass like a person or a spaceship) decreases the proper (spaceship) travel time. Of course it does not decrease the travel time as viewed by your family at home, so when you get back, they'll all be dead.
2007-05-24 13:14:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but the amount of energy required to accelerate to lightspeed increases at an exponential rate so you will need an infinite amount of energy to get to the speed of light.
2007-05-24 12:51:59 · answer #4 · answered by -_- 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only for a person outside the ship watching it moving. Inside the ship the clocks seem to run normally.
2007-05-24 12:59:02 · answer #5 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your making a comparison to nothing. you say speed of light to a destination shrinks the travel time. shrinks it compared to what?!?!?!?
2007-05-24 12:49:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Only for the traveler. So bystanders still see you travelling at light speed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_dilation
2007-05-24 12:50:12 · answer #7 · answered by russ m 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes!
2007-05-24 12:49:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
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2007-05-24 12:57:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋