Does light exist outside of time ?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of traveling at relativistic speeds, particularly at the speed of light. The speaker wonders what it would be like to travel on a beam of light and what the experience would be for the light itself. However, the responder points out that this is impossible and has no connection to reality. The discussion also touches on the concept of time dilation and whether it applies to light. The responder clarifies that time has no meaning for a beam of light and using formulas to apply the concept of time to light would lead to absurdities.
  • #1
boatdeck
3
0
Trying to imagine what the world looks like traveling at relativistic speeds of course has a noble history, vis a vis Swiss trams etc. etc. I get the thing about passing clocks at speed and staying young by going really fast (and slowing down again). I apologise if this perhaps rather obvious thought experiment has been done to death, but what would it be like to travel on a beam of light itself, by definition AT the speed of light ? What might one see ? What will happen to time ? It's this latter point which intrigues. Is time dilation such that the traveller's time frame actually freezes relative to the rest of the universe ? Does time stand still ? Does light exist (from its own perspective) outside of time ? Do all light wave travellers travel instantaneously to the end of time, the universe and “everything”, observing the rest of us slow coaches fizzle out to cold dark dust in an instant ?

From a Newbie waiting to be shot down ! - though don't be too harsh – I'm a veteran of Mr Tompkins and can claim at least an “A” level physics and maths.
 
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  • #2
boatdeck said:
From a Newbie waiting to be shot down
Bang! ...sssss... plop. :wink:

boatdeck, Traveling at the speed of light is simply impossible. So, speculating about what it would be like to do so has no connection with reality. You can approach c but never attain it.
 
  • #3
Bill_K said:
Bang! ...sssss... plop. :wink:

boatdeck, Traveling at the speed of light is simply impossible. So, speculating about what it would be like to do so has no connection with reality. You can approach c but never attain it.

Mmm. Yes I picked up on that point. With respect, LIGHT can travel at C, I kind of mean (in a just partly metaphysical way) what might it be "like" to be that beam of light ? What might the nature of it's experience be, if it had the capacity to observe it's surroundings ?
 
  • #4
boatdeck said:
Mmm. Yes I picked up on that point. With respect, LIGHT can travel at C, I kind of mean (in a just partly metaphysical way) what might it be "like" to be that beam of light ? What might the nature of it's experience be, if it had the capacity to observe it's surroundings ?

From the FAQ at the top of this forum: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=511170
 
  • #5
OK - so does that inform my question ? -= light travels at C and only ever travels at that speed, and cannot be stationary. Fair enough. I'm trying to finesse my Q. - is light "frozen" in time ? Does time have any meaning for a beam of light ?
 
  • #6
boatdeck said:
OK - so does that inform my question ? -= light travels at C and only ever travels at that speed, and cannot be stationary. Fair enough. I'm trying to finesse my Q. - is light "frozen" in time ? Does time have any meaning for a beam of light ?

Time has no meaning for a beam of light.
Asking how light "might experience" time by applying the formulas for bodies with non-zero rest mass moving at speeds less than c to zero-rest-mass light moving at c leads only to absurdities.
 

FAQ: Does light exist outside of time ?

Does light exist outside of time?

This is a highly debated question in the scientific community. Some scientists believe that light does exist outside of time, while others argue that it is bound by the laws of time and space. The answer ultimately depends on one's definition of "time" and how it relates to the properties of light.

2. What is the relationship between light and time?

Light is often described as a form of electromagnetic radiation, which travels at a constant speed of approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. This speed is known as the speed of light, and it is considered to be the fastest possible speed in the universe. Time, on the other hand, is a measurement of the duration of events. The relationship between light and time is complex and still not fully understood.

3. Can light travel faster or slower than the speed of light?

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is the maximum speed at which any matter or information can travel. This means that light cannot travel faster than the speed of light. However, in certain mediums, such as water or glass, light can appear to travel slower than its maximum speed in a vacuum.

4. Does light experience time differently than matter?

Some theories suggest that time may move differently for light than it does for matter. This is due to the fact that light does not experience the effects of gravity in the same way that matter does. However, this is still a topic of debate and further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between light and time.

5. How does the concept of time dilation affect light?

Time dilation is a phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity, which states that time moves slower for objects that are moving at high speeds. As light always travels at the speed of light, it is not affected by time dilation in the same way that matter is. This means that light does not experience time in the same way that we do.

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