Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => New Theories => Topic started by: liamboss on 19/07/2011 12:11:39

Title: Why do they say we can't travel at the speed of light? I think we can.
Post by: liamboss on 19/07/2011 12:11:39

When we move, I think we start off at the speed of light. Or am I wrong?

Title: Why do they say we can't travel at the speed of light? I think we can.
Post by: peppercorn on 19/07/2011 15:41:36

Perhaps you should explain what leads you to this conclusion.

Title: Why do they say we can't travel at the speed of light? I think we can.
Post by: Phractality on 19/07/2011 17:32:59

Quote from: liamboss on 19/07/2011 12:11:39

When we move, I think we start off at the speed of light. Or am I wrong?

Welcome, newbie!

You should watch some videos that explain special relativity simply (http://www.google.com/#hl=en&xhr=t&q=special+relativity+for+dummies&cp=19&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbm=vid&source=og&sa=N&tab=wv&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=de7e0f03359be9d6&biw=960&bih=459). It's all about how we define time and distance.

Since we're in the New Theories section, I'll give my own take on why matter can't go faster than light. According to my own model, all matter is made of particles which are made of smaller particles, and the smallest particles are made of light. Two or more light waves are stuck in orbit around one another, still moving at the speed of light, but in tight circles. When the particle moves, it moves like a bola (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBkSk1Z_QXQ); the center of the rope can't go as fast as the balls circling around it.

Title: Why do they say we can't travel at the speed of light? I think we can.
Post by: MikeS on 20/07/2011 12:02:14

Since we're in the New Theories section, I'll give my own take on why matter can't go faster than light.
Light travels instantaneously when not in a gravitational field. Gravity, by interacting with light (stopping it from moving instantaneously) introduces the concept of time. The passage of time stops at the speed of light.  To go faster than that would mean travelling backwards in time.

Title: Why do they say we can't travel at the speed of light? I think we can.
Post by: peppercorn on 20/07/2011 12:26:44

Quote from: Phractality on 19/07/2011 17:32:59

You should watch some videos that explain special relativity simply (http://www.google.com/#hl=en&xhr=t&q=special+relativity+for+dummies&cp=19&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbm=vid&source=og&sa=N&tab=wv&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=de7e0f03359be9d6&biw=960&bih=459). It's all about how we define time and distance.

This part is good advice - relevant to the question.

Title: Why do they say we can't travel at the speed of light? I think we can.
Post by: butchmurray on 26/09/2011 18:36:23

“Relativity The Special and General Theory” by Albert Einstein is great. Translated by Robert Lawson. It the 1920 translation. It’s a free book online.

XII.  The Behaviour of Measuring-Rods and Clocks in Motion
http://www.bartleby.com/173/12.html


Sqrt(1-v2/c2) -

and for still greater velocities the square-root becomes imaginary. From this we conclude that in the theory of relativity the velocity c plays the part of a limiting velocity, which can neither be reached nor exceeded by any real body.

  Of course this feature of the velocity c as a limiting velocity also clearly follows from the equations of the Lorentz transformation, for these become meaningless if we choose values of v greater than c.

Because with v greater than c; 1-v2/c2 is a negative number and there can be no square root of a negative number.