can light in front stay ahead of a object travelling FASTER than the speed of light ?
2007-08-07 14:33:30 · 14 answers · asked by robert g 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Nope, so it had better use the horn.
2007-08-07 14:35:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
Sound is the vibration of molecules and therefore needs a media to travel through - with sound this media is the vibration of particles or molecules (which have mass) and therefore cannot travel at the speed of light due to Einstein's theory of relativity. Light has no mass and is an Electromagnetic wave - it does display some properties that particles have, yet it does not have to have a medium to travel in - this is proven by the fact we see the sun yet the light has to travel through space (which is a vacuum). NB... Steve C is incorrect, light has no mass but has energy and momentum according to the the equation-: Energy = Plank Constant x Frequency. i.e. the higher the frequency the more energy and momentum it carries. Light (or photons of the EM spectrum) are the carriers of the electromagnetic force which can interact with matter transferring energy between them. Read about the Photoelectric effect and Compton scattering for more details. No-one knows for sure how gravity fits into the picture, it has been postulated that gravity is carried by an entity called the 'gravitron' but as yet it has not been found - it is also said that whatever carries the gravitational force must travel at the speed of light. If somebody discovers the 'gravitational carrier', there is no doubt there will be a nobel prize for them, as this will complete what is known as the 'standard model' in physics.
2016-05-21 02:49:38 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course. But the lights on your spaceship aren't traveling faster than the speed of light. The speed of light is constant for the man on the spaceship and from an observer somewhere else. Light ALWAYS travels the same speed. It is able to do this because time actually passes slower on the spaceship allowing all light waves to travel at " C " for all observers in the universe...including you on your spaceship. But traveling faster than the speed of light is virtually impossible. We would have to discover a new kind of power source that we have never seen before we could achieve this. Personally, I don't thing we will ever be able to travel at the speed of light....let alone faster. Enourmous jets shooting out of quasars, black holes, and neutron stars only travel at about half the speed of light and they are some of the most phenomenal sources of energy in the universe.
2007-08-07 14:46:52 · answer #3 · answered by justask23 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hello Robert...
This is the Eight Hundredth time I will answer this same question which used to be a pretty funny thing to ask...
Light emitted from a source (sitting still or moving) travels at the speed of light (186,000 Miles Per Second). It is not possible for a space ship to travel at or anywhere near the speed of light. Most of the fastest manmade vehicles traveling through space right now are moving at around 30,000 MILES PER HOUR. That is no where near
186,000 MILES PER SECOND.
So, if your space ship turned on its headlights, yes light would shine out in front of the space ship. It would travel out into space for a pretty long distance until it was so dim that it could no longer be seen. Light intensity diminishes by the distance squared law, so it would get dimmer and dimmer the farther it moved away from the space ship.
2007-08-07 15:54:42 · answer #4 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Massive objects cannot accelerate in space such that they locally reach the speed of light in vacuum.
If your object is using a space drive (ie., Alcubierre drive), then the light will necessarily travel at the speed of light ahead of the ship in the local frame that is being dragged. It will be horribly blue-shifted as it exits the warp bubble; probably resembling a high-energy cosmic ray.
If your object has somehow been travelling at the speed of light for eternity and turns on its headlight, we really have no physical basis to predict what will happen. Completely different physical laws may exist in that frame and will not break anything (as far as I know) in modern physics.
2007-08-07 15:07:49 · answer #5 · answered by Ron 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well the laws of electromagnetism state that the speed of electromagnetic radiation does not depend on the velocity of the object emitting the radiation; thus for instance, the light emitted from a rapidly moving light source would travel at the same speed as the light coming from a stationary light source. so if the spaceship is moving faster then light there can be no light in front.
2007-08-07 14:40:54 · answer #6 · answered by Jago 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think human inside the spaceship will not see the light. Its just like a flag on a car... because the car is faster than the flag (flag is slower because it have to overcome the air resistant) The flag will be dragging behind the pole and the driver in it will not see the flag moving in front of him.
The human outside the space ship (if there is one) will see the headlight glowing because the light travel to them.
But this situation can never be achieved because Enstien has stated that no one can travel faster than light.
2007-08-07 14:44:54 · answer #7 · answered by eyeshield42 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No, because light speed is constant, a moving source or a stationary source travel at the same speed so if your vessel is travelling at light speed plus! you would only see light from a source being emitted from in front of you. Have a good day.
2007-08-07 15:59:21 · answer #8 · answered by wheeliebin 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
As we know it a space ship can not travel the speed of light. It would take infinite energy to move its infinite mass. BUT, if it could go faster than light, by the theory of relativity it would be in its own rest frame so the headlights would be projecting out in front of it.
2007-08-07 14:38:09 · answer #9 · answered by tfloto 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
LOL
great question
I think for a small distance it will stay ahead.....
it does not need headlights anyway, as if it is hits anything it will travel through it with no problem or damage as ghost do.....
so we will travel safely without need 2 look wow I wish 2 be one of the passengers :)
No need for headlight at the 1 place don't u agree?
2007-08-07 15:05:26 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, light travels at the speed of light relative to the observer.
HOWEVER, remember that things are moving AT YOU at the speed of light.
So you wouldn't see a brick wall until it starts crashing through you windshield at the speed of light.
2007-08-07 16:22:43 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋