E = mc^2 seems to have to do with time dilation for a mass traveling at the speed of light. Does the square for the speed of light apply when traveling at the speed of light in space?
2007-11-25 19:58:00 · 6 answers · asked by Dan 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
E=mc^2 has very little to do with time dilation. Time dilation is the very first thing you learn in a Relativity course; E=mc^2 is the last. Time dilation is a geometric effect and has nothing to do with mass.
c is a constant, invariant quantity. Whatever your speed happens to be, you measure all light rays (in vacuum) to travel at c relative to you. All observers observe all light rays to travel at c relative to themselves. It doesn't matter how fast you are going in space, all light rays pass you by at speed c, as measured by you. So no, you don't ever change the value of c in E=mc^2.
2007-11-25 22:01:17 · answer #1 · answered by ZikZak 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does the square for the speed of light apply when traveling at the speed of light in space?
No clue what you mean by this question. But if you're asking if it makes any difference what medium the mass is traveling in, the answer is no. The speed of light c is constant, but only for a given medium, like space or air. It is actually slower in media other than a vacuum (space). That's why, for example, a pencil seems to bend where in enters into a glass of water...the difference in light speed through water and through air.
Mass increase, time dilation, and length shortening all occur as v approaches light speed c, no matter what c is in the medium the mass is traveling through.
2007-11-25 20:07:04 · answer #2 · answered by oldprof 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
What made you think, speed of light is a variable when in space or on earth?
Only place where the light might lose its speed and become something else is black holes. But whatever, the light speed is a constant, constant and constant.
2007-11-25 20:43:38 · answer #3 · answered by Harihara S 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the speed of light is always squared when considering energy, whether on our planet, or in space.
THe only thing that changes is that the speed of light is marginally less within our atmosphere than in the vacuum of space.
Travelling in space does include gravitational pull, gravity acts over huge distances, just go anywhere near jupiter.... or the sun....
2007-11-25 20:04:57 · answer #4 · answered by brownian_dogma 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
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2016-09-05 14:36:05 · answer #5 · answered by vandevanter 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, travel in space lacks gravitational pullso the square for speed does not apply
2007-11-25 20:03:30 · answer #6 · answered by RICK 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋