2007-06-13 08:07:11 · 15 answers · asked by Sophos 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Although, the speed of light cannot be reached by anything with a mass, as per the theory of relativity, let us, for argument's sake, say you can reach the speed of light.
Will you see yourself in the mirror you are carrying?
Yes.
Why?
Because time is not a fixed parameter (that is why the theory is called the "theory of relativity"). Time is affected by movement. Thus, as you approached the speed of light, you would still see light moving away from you at 300,000 kilometers per second.
Impossible?
No.
You just have to let go of the misconception that time is fixed and the same for everyone. As you approach the speed of light,"your" time slows down. The effect of this is that, to you, light is still moving away from you at 300,000 kilometers per second, while to a bystander, it would seem that light is moving away from you at a slower pace.
Thus, if you carry the mirror, light would still move away from you at 300,000 kilometers per second.
2007-06-13 08:19:29 · answer #1 · answered by MSDC 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, first off, you cannot actually travel at the speed of light. Einstein's Theory of Relativity shows that objects with mass cannot reach the speed of light, although you can (with enough energy) get close to the speed of light. That being said, you might wonder if you were going, say 99.9999% the speed of light, would the reflection in the mirror have a noticable time delay. The answer, in fact, is no. Another conclusion of the Theory of Relativity is that the speed of light is constant within any frame of reference. In other words, light would not seem any slower to you on your spaceship that it would to someone outside the ship watching you go by. I know this doesn't make much sense to the average person but it is one of the key features of the theory.
2007-06-13 08:19:53 · answer #2 · answered by Jack 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the one hand, the speed at which you're traveling has no bearing on the speed at which light travels from your face to the mirror and back. The light always leaves your face at speed "c" (relative to you); and also bounces back at speed "c". So in that sense, you see the same thing regardless of how fast or slow you're travelling.
On the other hand, it is supposed to be impossible for objects with mass to travel at the speed of light anyway. So in that sense, there is no sensible answer to "what would happen if" you traveled at the speed of light.
2007-06-13 08:14:15 · answer #3 · answered by RickB 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
So if you are traveling at light speed, then you must be a massless object like a photon or a graviton. You would need a massless mirror which worked by photon photon scattering.
So can a photon see its own picture (ie photons that scattered off of it) in such a mirror? I don't see how unless it got reflected around while its image traveled to the mirror and back.
2007-06-13 08:10:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming you could still retain human shape and not be converted into energy...
The answer is sort of. You would be in a frame of reference. At 10 percent of the speed of light you would think everything is ok and the world outside is out of whack. On the vessel everything would look normal but outside everything would be a bit squished.
Just before the speed of light it would take a nearly infinite amount of time to do anything. So yes, YOU would see your reflection, however several trillion years would pass in the meantime. At the speed of light you would be your own reflection.
2007-06-13 08:19:35 · answer #5 · answered by Ninja grape juice 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, because if you are holding the mirror, it will be travelling at the speed of light also.
2007-06-13 08:24:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you can travel with the speed of light, then i think you cant see yourself in the mirror.... the reason for this is that:
to see your reflection, light have to travel a distance from you to mirror and back... in this time you have already go the same distance in a different slash axis... so you your reflection could only seem by a man next to you...
but if you can go a trip like this... let me know.. haha hope to help you
2007-06-13 09:32:51 · answer #7 · answered by theo_siviri 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you travel at the speed of light, then you have other concerns than what you are holding in front of yourself. You might not want to run into any objects in the way. You might even turn into light yourself and be lost as such energy forever.
2007-06-13 08:20:59 · answer #8 · answered by Jack 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all you can't travel at the speed of light. However, if you where to get close to it, you still will be able to see your reflection in a mirror? Why? First of all, this is because in your inertial reference frame (probably inside a spaceship where things don't move), you are basically at rest and not moving. All physics still holds since at that inertial frame you and the mirror are not moving (think of it like you are in a train).Secondly, einstein predicted in his special theory of relativity that all physics laws still holds at any inertial frame.
2007-06-13 09:00:29 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as you and the mirror are travelling at the same speed in the same direction, yes.
We're all travelling from West to East along with our mirrors, aren't we? We can still shave, can't we?
Make sense?
2007-06-13 08:41:33 · answer #10 · answered by rhapword 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋