Theoretically, if a human accelerated gradually to the speed of light, and sustained that speed for a given period of time, would it be humanly possible to withstand the g-forces exerted?
Also, if you know, please give the approximate g-force rating lightspeed would exert in such a manner? Thanks
2007-06-17 07:23:11 · 11 answers · asked by B Z 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
I know that, the question does make sense. Here let me rephrase: Could a human withstand the g-forces exerted when ACCELERATING TO THE SPEED OF LIGHT?
2007-06-17 07:32:33 · update #1
Well, you can't go the speed of light, but you can, in principle, get arbitrarily close to it. Then, it all depends on how much time you're willing to spend getting up to speed. For speeds much less than c, for example. speed = acceleration times time. One could, in the lifetime of the astronaut, travel to anywhere in the visible universe accelarating at a comfortable 1 g. It would take billions of years in the reference frame of earth, but due to relativistic time dilation, it would only take decades in the ship's reference frame.
2007-06-17 08:07:43 · answer #1 · answered by Dr. R 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
In accelerating toward the speed of light, your mass and your velocity will change. It would be a fun computation to see how long (local time) it would take to get to various fractions of the speed of light assuming a constant factor times mg force (rather than times g acceleration, and considering the mass changes). Actually reaching light speed is energetically impossible and really not particularly interesting. Finding out how long it would take to get to 0.8c, 0.9c, etc in relative comfort is interesting though. Don't have time to compute it right now, even though it is within my specialty. Should not be too hard for an advanced undergraduate though.
2007-06-17 13:26:58 · answer #2 · answered by jcsuperstar714 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could accelerate till you reached the speed of light and your body could with stand it. If you figure the body could with stand 9g it would take a little over a year to reach the speed of light. You have a few problems with this though the main problem is it takes infinite energy to get to the speed of light. The other problem (more related to your question) is that 9g is a high estimate and the body could only with stand this for short amounts of time. I don't know what g force the human body can take for that period of time. Of course the less the g force that you can stand the longer it takes to reach the speed of light.
2007-06-17 07:41:47 · answer #3 · answered by ctmtz 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
g force comes into picture while accelerating and is not linked to velocity of travel. So, if you ignore all other constraints of a physical body travelling at light speed, it can be done.
When the velocity is constant, there is no accleration and hence the g-force will be 0.
2007-06-17 07:30:37 · answer #4 · answered by Swamy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
g forces are only present during acceleration, so just traveling at a constant speed even if it is light speed is not a problem in terms of g forces, but getting to light speed is another problem entirely
2007-06-17 07:30:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In space, they could possibly withstand it, because there's no gravity that would be relative. If they were to launch from earth at light speed, they and a large portion of the surrounding area would be most likely obliterated.
2007-06-17 07:31:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, it depends on how long it takes to accelerate to light speed. If it is as quick as in Star Wars, then no way. The passengers would become flatter than pancakes.
2007-06-17 07:29:49 · answer #7 · answered by Alfred Sauce 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
What I have learned through all this years is the fact that you have mass right?
All the atoms in your body have different mass (unless they are the same C, H, O, Cu etc) and by that the cells of your organism have different mass each one of them.
If you accelerate through the speed of light, each cell will have a different acceleration and by these premise you will desintegrate because you will be "traveling at different speed", meaning complete destruction fo your body.
That is what i known about living organisms traveling at speed of light.
2007-06-17 07:33:55 · answer #8 · answered by mandrake 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
'g' forces only exist as a result of acceleration or proximity to a large mass.
Your question really doesn't make any sense.
Doug
2007-06-17 07:27:52 · answer #9 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
wether we could or not---at present--makes no difference other than the fact of advancement---we used to think 100 mph was impossible---what say you n
2015-10-02 14:56:23 · answer #10 · answered by Ronald W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋