Not being able to exceed the speed of light, I don’t get it.

[Zuber]

OK, since this forum is being used do discuss a variety of sometimes interesting and sometimes worrying (see “My bowels hate me” thread). I thought I’d try you guys with something that has been puzzling me for some time.

Might be a little Serious for this place, but I thought I'd try it on you anyway. If this is a major breakthrough, I claim all credit.

According to my A level physics teacher (from many years ago) and just about everyone else I have talked to since, it is not possible to exceed the speed of light (Einstein, Relativity and all that).

Well, I am happy to accept the idea that time and space distort, mass becomes infinate etc. as you approach the speed of light, but I still don’t get the bit about not being able to exceed it.

Before I explain, I just want to say, that you can get formulas to add up to anything you want in my book. You could give me to totally opposing solutions based on some formulas and convince me they are both correct. So ideally, I would like analogies.

Anyway, my problem goes something like this.

I appreciate that movement, speed etc. is a relative thing, but for the sake of this discussion let us assume that the Earth is stationary (not flat, just stationary).

Now, while I am happily sitting on Earth, 2 rockets head off in opposite directions. Both leave Earth at 0.6 X speed of light. So I see Rocket A leaving me at 0.6 X lightspeed in 1 direction & Rocket B at 0.6 X lightspeed in the other direction.

Nobody has a problem so far I hope.

Now according to this relativity thing, had I been sitting on Rocket A and looked at Rocket B I’d have been squashed, vaporised etc.
But in addition to that, I would not have seen Rocket B moving away from me at 1.2 X lightspeed.
Why, because of distortions in time, space etc. the Speed of Rocket A relative to Rocket B cannot exceed the speed of light.

I’m OK with all of this (hope I’ve got it right).

The bit I don’t get is this.

As I’m actually sitting on Earth, as far as I’m concerned,
Rocket A is leaving me at 0.6 X lightspeed.
Rocket B is leaving me at 0.6 X lightspeed.

So as far as I’m concerned, (i.e. ignoring the distortion in time/space between Rockets A and B) Rocket A is moving away from Rocket B at 1.2(ish) X speed of light.

Now according to my physics teacher I’m wrong. Further inquiry results in being presented with a textbook and some formulas to try and understand.

Can anyone give a clear explanation ?

Zuber

[SwitchBlade]

I ain't touching that one with a bargepole.

[Dazler]

The limit is only a assumption ... it all depends on how you interpreted speed and time.

Physics has never been an exact sience The laws that we apply could be proven wrong or lacking in a few decades. It is based on experiments in controlled environments like earth in general. Like your example, it all depends from which aspect you perceive it and the way you definespeed and time.

Some say it can't be broken, some say you'll travel back into time, some say everything keeps going like you would expect .

On a more technical note, I would say it isn't possible because of how engines work, inorder to travel at that speed the machines should work at that same speed (navigation, your eyes won't see shit ) and so far we the fastest circuit doesn't come near the light speed In order to achieve a greater speed we would need to get something unknown to mankind, everything is about energy, and it's that energy that just can't go faster.


If you want to know more check out this

[Loonyworld]

Very interesting indeed.

But my physics interface seems to be broken somehow ...
Rocket A left me at 1.6 X lightspeed just past the moon.
But i´ll find it again..Don´t worry

[Dazler]

Like your new signature

No Physical law being broken. On earth, you are in the stationary observation frame. So you did see rocket A, B leaving each other at 1.2c, but that does not mean any rocket exceeds speed of light. This is what you observed at earth frame.
At the Rocket A, seeing rocket B, you have to use relativity law to calculate the relative speed. Will not exceed speed of light. No problem.
This is like you shine two light source oppsite to each other, their speed reative to each other is 2c, but you are looking at from earth stationary frame. When the light particle looks at each other you have to use the Physics law of relativity again, no law broken.
Hope this anser your question.

Originally Posted by Zuber

OK, since this forum is being used do discuss a variety of sometimes interesting and sometimes worrying (see “My bowels hate me” thread). I thought I’d try you guys with something that has been puzzling me for some time.

Might be a little Serious for this place, but I thought I'd try it on you anyway. If this is a major breakthrough, I claim all credit.

According to my A level physics teacher (from many years ago) and just about everyone else I have talked to since, it is not possible to exceed the speed of light (Einstein, Relativity and all that).

Well, I am happy to accept the idea that time and space distort, mass becomes infinate etc. as you approach the speed of light, but I still don’t get the bit about not being able to exceed it.

Before I explain, I just want to say, that you can get formulas to add up to anything you want in my book. You could give me to totally opposing solutions based on some formulas and convince me they are both correct. So ideally, I would like analogies.

Anyway, my problem goes something like this.

I appreciate that movement, speed etc. is a relative thing, but for the sake of this discussion let us assume that the Earth is stationary (not flat, just stationary).

Now, while I am happily sitting on Earth, 2 rockets head off in opposite directions. Both leave Earth at 0.6 X speed of light. So I see Rocket A leaving me at 0.6 X lightspeed in 1 direction & Rocket B at 0.6 X lightspeed in the other direction.

Nobody has a problem so far I hope.

Now according to this relativity thing, had I been sitting on Rocket A and looked at Rocket B I’d have been squashed, vaporised etc.
But in addition to that, I would not have seen Rocket B moving away from me at 1.2 X lightspeed.
Why, because of distortions in time, space etc. the Speed of Rocket A relative to Rocket B cannot exceed the speed of light.

I’m OK with all of this (hope I’ve got it right).

The bit I don’t get is this.

As I’m actually sitting on Earth, as far as I’m concerned,
Rocket A is leaving me at 0.6 X lightspeed.
Rocket B is leaving me at 0.6 X lightspeed.

So as far as I’m concerned, (i.e. ignoring the distortion in time/space between Rockets A and B) Rocket A is moving away from Rocket B at 1.2(ish) X speed of light.

Now according to my physics teacher I’m wrong. Further inquiry results in being presented with a textbook and some formulas to try and understand.

Can anyone give a clear explanation ?

Zuber

[Ismail]

Originally Posted by Zuber

Can anyone give a clear explanation ?

Zuber

i belive the correct answer is i dont give a shit