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  4. How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?
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How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?

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Offline trevorjohnson32 (OP)

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How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?
« on: 21/06/2017 17:41:18 »
if you travelled three light seconds ,552,000 miles, at the speed of light, would it take you three seconds or zero seconds as the time slows down as you approach the speed of light. So it would take you zero seconds to travel that distance and a watch on board your space ship would read as such,or it takes you three seconds froma far outside observer to travel that distance?

 

What then is the property of momentum and perhaps density of the universe that creates conditions moving at light speed the same as the conditions on the surface of a black hole? any guesses? perhaps empty space has a sort of refraction when you travel across it the density for the traveller becomes greater and causes refraction?
« Last Edit: 22/06/2017 17:34:36 by chris »
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Offline PmbPhy

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Re: How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?
« Reply #1 on: 21/06/2017 22:33:42 »
Quote from: trevorjohnson32 on 21/06/2017 17:41:18
if you travelled three light seconds ,552,000 miles, at the speed of light, would it take you three seconds or zero seconds ...
Since its not possible to travel at the speed of light the question is not meaningful.
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Offline evan_au

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Re: How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?
« Reply #2 on: 21/06/2017 22:53:47 »
Quote from:  trevorjohnson32 (OP)
would it take 3 or 0 seconds to travel 3 light seconds at c?
Ignoring the little detail that objects having mass cannot actually reach c, but can only approach it...
             you always have to ask "From whose frame of reference?".

In relativity, different answers are equally valid, for observers in different frames of reference.
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Offline trevorjohnson32 (OP)

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Re: How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?
« Reply #3 on: 22/06/2017 03:19:45 »
Quote from: evan_au on 21/06/2017 22:53:47
Quote from:  trevorjohnson32 (OP)
would it take 3 or 0 seconds to travel 3 light seconds at c?
Ignoring the little detail that objects having mass cannot actually reach c, but can only approach it...
             you always have to ask "From whose frame of reference?".

In relativity, different answers are equally valid, for observers in different frames of reference.


I guess this is back to the question to what causes the mechanism keeping time to slow down as the clock accelerates? I'm suggesting that it has to do with the density of space-time itself and that maybe some sort of refraction occurrs as a result of space being 'denser' as you travel through it.
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Offline PmbPhy

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Re: How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?
« Reply #4 on: 22/06/2017 03:34:48 »
Quote from: evan_au on 21/06/2017 22:53:47
you always have to ask "From whose frame of reference?".
That is implied in the question. I.e. in the frame in which the distance the light travels is three light seconds.
« Last Edit: 22/06/2017 19:33:08 by PmbPhy »
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Offline jeffreyH

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Re: How long would it take light to travel 3 light seconds?
« Reply #5 on: 22/06/2017 12:36:08 »
Ok so let's say you could reach light speed. How would you slow your vehicle down? In order to slow down time must pass. You would be forever doomed to travel at the speed of light until a collision occurs.
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