Faster than the speed of light?
Discussion
Imagine if you will, a circular structure, spinning in space at the speed of light. Each time the structure goes past 'point A', it completes a revolution, and is recorded, along with distance traveled. Inside the structure is some kind of vehicle, itself capable of travelling at the speed of light under it's own power within the confines of the circular structure. Each time the vehicle completes a revolution of the structure, it is recorded, along with distance traveled. Each time the vehicle goes past 'point A', it is also recorded.
The structure revolves 1,000,000 times at the speed of light, and the vehicle under it's own power is itself doing circuits of the structure at the speed of light for the duration of the structures 1,000,000 revolutions.
At the conclusion of the 1,000,000 revolutions that the structure has made, has the vehicle gone past 'point A' more times, and traveled a greater distance than the structure has? And if so, has the vehicle exceeded the speed of light?
The structure revolves 1,000,000 times at the speed of light, and the vehicle under it's own power is itself doing circuits of the structure at the speed of light for the duration of the structures 1,000,000 revolutions.
At the conclusion of the 1,000,000 revolutions that the structure has made, has the vehicle gone past 'point A' more times, and traveled a greater distance than the structure has? And if so, has the vehicle exceeded the speed of light?
allegro said:
Speed and time are relative. Bad eg. If you are on a train doing 70mph and run down the isle at 15mph you are not doing 85mph you are only doing 15mph relative to the train 
Or at least that's how i understand it, happy to be corrected.
I was going to say the something similar but I understand (well dont actually) that the speed of light works slightly differently.Or at least that's how i understand it, happy to be corrected.
allegro said:
Speed and time are relative. Bad eg. If you are on a train doing 70mph and run down the isle at 15mph you are not doing 85mph you are only doing 15mph relative to the train
Or at least that's how i understand it, happy to be corrected.
If the train was 15 miles long and you ran to the front of the train, you would be 15 miles ahead of whoever you left behind in the back of the train when it stopped...Or at least that's how i understand it, happy to be corrected.
If you were holding a GPS, would it show you doing 70 or 85mph..
Edited by GilbertGrape on Wednesday 14th April 16:25
Neither distance nor time are absolute - they both depend on how fast you are travelling. So the distance (or time) a static observer measures will be different to the distance a moving observer measures.
For a good explanation of relativity read "Why does E=mc^2?" by Brian Cox (the chap who presented the Wonders of the Solar System) - it's not simple, but is explained well.
For a good explanation of relativity read "Why does E=mc^2?" by Brian Cox (the chap who presented the Wonders of the Solar System) - it's not simple, but is explained well.
The answer is yes, the unit inside the structure is spinning at twice the speed of light relative to what ever is stationary outside of the structure.
What einstein said is that you can not exceed the speed of light relative to where you started from. If your already travelling at the speed of light on an object and then accelerate away from it then you will be doing more than the speed of light relative to the starting point of the initial object.
Ne ideas on how u get there in the first place?!?
You would be able to see where you are going but only the light coming towards you and not from behind unless the light is travelling faster than you are.
What einstein said is that you can not exceed the speed of light relative to where you started from. If your already travelling at the speed of light on an object and then accelerate away from it then you will be doing more than the speed of light relative to the starting point of the initial object.
Ne ideas on how u get there in the first place?!?
You would be able to see where you are going but only the light coming towards you and not from behind unless the light is travelling faster than you are.
Edited by Mudgey on Wednesday 14th April 16:31
GilbertGrape said:
allegro said:
Speed and time are relative. Bad eg. If you are on a train doing 70mph and run down the isle at 15mph you are not doing 85mph you are only doing 15mph relative to the train
Or at least that's how i understand it, happy to be corrected.
If the train was 15 miles long and you ran to the front of the train, you would be 15 miles ahead of whoever you left behind in the back of the train when it stopped...Or at least that's how i understand it, happy to be corrected.
If you were holding a GPS, would it show you doing 70 or 85mph..
Relative to the train you're doing 15mph
Relative to the sun you're going much much faster...
You wouldnt gain mass, you gain potential energy available to be transferred to any sorry soul who gets in your way! and that depends on how fast you hit them.
Faster than light travel relative to your start point is also possible based on being able to acquire energy along the way to be able to keep pushing you that extra bit further.
Faster than light travel relative to your start point is also possible based on being able to acquire energy along the way to be able to keep pushing you that extra bit further.
Edited by Mudgey on Wednesday 14th April 16:36
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