Time and speed of light problem

In summary, photons are massless and can travel at the speed of light. However, anything with mass can't exceed the speed of light.
  • #1
super_kangaro
8
0
If you could travel at the speed of light in a rocket ship then you could still walk around in that rocket ship because time is reletive. When you are in your rocketship you would age because time is reletive but you don't age at the speed of light so how is this possible.

Please correct this because I have to be wrong about something.

Thank you for helping :smile:
 
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  • #2
Yes, you can walk around.
An observer moving with respect to you would disagree that you are aging. This is because time is only relative when applied to a different frame of reference.
 
  • #3
But if the rocket came to a stop after 50 years of moving at light speed would the guy in the rocket be 50 years older than he was.

If so then how is it possible that you don't age at the speed of light.
 
  • #4
super_kangaro said:
But if the rocket came to a stop after 50 years of moving at light speed would the guy in the rocket be 50 years older than he was.

If so then how is it possible that you don't age at the speed of light.
He would not be. Coming to a stop is the problem. As soon as you accelerate, you experience massive gravitational time dilation.
 
  • #5
So if you go the speed of light you will not be able to slow down to a stop or slow down at all?
 
  • #7
Mentz114 said:
Hi super_k,

no material thing can ever be accelerated to the speed of light. See here


"no information or material object can travel faster than light."

This a quote from that wiki page.


It says material things can't go faster than the speed of light but it doesn't say they can't go as fast as the speed of light.

Photons are material things and they are light (so they are traveling at the speed of light).
 
  • #8
super_kangaro said:
"no information or material object can travel faster than light."

This a quote from that wiki page.


It says material things can't go faster than the speed of light but it doesn't say they can't go as fast as the speed of light.

Photons are material things and they are light (so they are traveling at the speed of light).

Good one buddy!
However, I think, photons can go at light speed as they are massless. With increase of mass, the speed limit should decrease, due to energy requirements. So any material body can't reach the speed of light, nor can exceed it.
 
  • #9
Super_kangaro,
you'd make a better lawyer than physicist. In spite of what Wiki says I stand by my original post.

Photons are material things and they are light (so they are traveling at the speed of light)
Whoever told you that is wrong. Photons do not have mass.
 
  • #10
Mentz114 said:
In spite of what Wiki says I stand by my original post.
Your post is entirely consistent with the wiki page (and would be true even if it wasn't!). Here's another quote from that same page:
wiki said:
Special relativity reveals that c is not just the velocity of a certain phenomenon, namely the propagation of electromagnetic radiation (light)—but rather a fundamental feature of the way space and time are unified as spacetime. A consequence of this is that it is impossible for any particle that has mass to be accelerated to the speed of light.
 
  • #11
Ok thanks for answering my question :approve:
 

FAQ: Time and speed of light problem

What is the speed of light and is it constant?

The speed of light is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second and it is considered to be a constant in a vacuum. This means that the speed of light does not change regardless of the observer's frame of reference.

Why is the speed of light important in understanding time?

The speed of light is important in understanding time because it is the fastest speed at which all matter and information in the universe can travel. This means that the speed of light is a fundamental limit that affects how we perceive and measure time.

How does the concept of time dilation relate to the speed of light?

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is constant for all observers, regardless of their relative motion. This means that as an object approaches the speed of light, time slows down for that object. This is known as time dilation and is a consequence of the speed of light being a universal constant.

Can anything travel faster than the speed of light?

According to current scientific understanding, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. The speed of light is the ultimate speed limit of the universe and it is not possible for any object or information to exceed it.

How does the concept of time and the speed of light affect our understanding of the universe?

The concept of time and the speed of light play a crucial role in our understanding of the universe. They allow us to make accurate measurements and predictions about the behavior of objects and events in the universe. They also help us understand the relationship between space and time, as well as the fundamental laws of physics.

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