Don't have an account yet? You can create one. As a registered user you have some advantages like theme manager, comments configuration and post comments with your name.
Toonami Turner Cartoon Network Thundercats Voltron Space Ghost Birdman Herculoids Dino Boy Galaxy Trio Mighty Mightor Moby Dick
Shazzan The
Impossibles Max Fleisher's Superman (a.k.a. Roulette) The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest Robotech Sailor Moon DragonBall Z Filmation Superman Batman Superfriends ReBoot
Ronin Warriors G-Force Powerpuff Girls Batman: The Animated Series Gundam Wing Tenchi Muyo! Universe in Tokyo Superman Outlaw Star Big O CardCaptors Mobile Suit Gundam O8th
MS Team DragonBall Batman Beyond Gundam 0080 Zoids: Zero Hamtaro Zoids: Chaotic Century Guardian Force G Gundam He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Transformers: Armada
G.I. Joe .hack//Sign Yu Yu Hakusho Rurouni Kenshin QuickTime .mov MOV AVI .avi MPEG .mpg Movies movie Videos Clips Sounds articles rants essays images files CNX inner circle
cn2 revolution Japan japanese multimedia saban funimation toei graz harmony gold mainframe Tyler Zogg TylerLToonami Turner Cartoon Network Thundercats Voltron Space
Ghost Birdman Herculoids Dino Boy Galaxy Trio Mighty Mightor Moby Dick
Shazzan The
Impossibles Max Fleisher's Superman (a.k.a. Roulette) The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest Robotech Sailor Moon DragonBall Z Filmation Superman Batman Superfriends
ReBoot
Ronin Warriors G-Force Powerpuff Girls Batman: The Animated Series Gundam Wing Tenchi Muyo! Universe in Tokyo Superman Outlaw Star Big O CardCaptors Mobile Suit Gundam
O8th
MS Team DragonBall Batman Beyond Gundam 0080 Zoids: Zero Hamtaro Zoids: Chaotic Century Guardian Force G Gundam He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Transformers:
Armada
G.I. Joe .hack//Sign Yu Yu Hakusho Rurouni Kenshin QuickTime .mov MOV AVI .avi MPEG .mpg Movies movie Videos Clips Sounds articles rants essays images files CNX inner
circle
cn2 revolution Japan japanese multimedia saban funimation toei graz harmony gold mainframe Tyler Zogg TylerL
Why is it impossible for something to exceed the speed of light?
IT. IS. NOT!!
Are you aware that the speed of a photon is not an exact thing? The "speed of light" is merely the AVERAGE speed at which we see the universe. Thus, photons can travel faster than the "speed of light." Of course, they have no rest mass, so it's easy for them.
For everything else, it's all about momentum. It used to be said that P = mv. However, this does not take into account the lightspeed barrier. It was transformed into P= mv/sqrt(1-v^2/c^2). Thus, as an object approaches the speed of light, its momentum shoots through the roof, and approaches infinity. As Impulse = Force * time = change in momentum, it would take either infinte force or infinite time to accelerate or decelerate to the speed of light.
This says nothing about the rules of motion above or below lightspeed. There is no theoretical prohibition against faster-than-light particles, other than they have imaginary rest masses. This shouldn't be a problem, because the i's cancel out when we calculate their momentum, and they're never going to be at rest, anyway, as that would require infinite impulse.
Doug's response is barely on topic. The speed of the photons is going to be about the same in this room as almost anywhere else. They don't take any shortcuts on the way to the wall, which is the only motion (other than the rotation of the laser itself) that matters. The "movement" of the spot is not. It is merely the simulation of motion. If we set up a ring of photon detectors around this wall, we could rotate the laser fast enough to register a series of blinks, rather than coherent motion of a spot. Photons are distinct particles, and there is no such thing as a steady stream of light. If we rotate the laser fast enough, we would register the individual photons hitting the wall, and absolutely NOTHING in between. This is independent of any refresh rates of the detector or the laser. It is not motion any more than Saddam and a double appearing on TV at different times, from different places. _________________ Krogoth uses Berserk.
Attacks are enhanced but defense weakens.
"Wait, that's not the cure button ... "
Sat Mar 22, 2003 12:06 pm
John_Bono_Smithy_Satchmo
Joined: Nov 13, 2002
Post subject:
Wait, but if your mass approaches infinate, so does the mass of your propellant, and thus your impulse. Hey--you'd get to see the end of the universe! Wohoo! _________________ This space left intentionally blank.
Sat Mar 22, 2003 12:17 pm
Cooolcorey
Joined: Nov 08, 2002
Post subject:
While we're on the off-topic of explaining light, I've had a question for a long time and none of my science teachers can answer it.
Is light matter?
They say that black holes' gravity can absorb light, which means it has to have weight, which means it has mass, which means it's matter. But it can go through many things like glass or thin paper, and two atoms of matter can't occupy one space, so I'm completely confused.
Sat Mar 22, 2003 12:47 pm
counterparadox
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
Light is not an atom, first and foremost. Light is composed of photons. A photon actas as both energy and matter. I guess you can think of it as the bridge between the gaps. Einstein's equation, E=mc^2, means that energy equals mass times the square of the speed of light. Translation= mass can be converted to energy, and energy to mass. A photon acts as both energy and matter, having properties of each. It is not matter, but at the same time, it is not NOT matter. _________________ anime is teh s uck
Play City of Heroes/Villians? Look me up, Pinnacle server, @C Paradox
Sat Mar 22, 2003 12:57 pm
Force-Attuned_Krogoth
Joined: Nov 10, 2002
Post subject:
A photon only has mass because of its energy. It is widely accepted that the photon has no rest mass. I believe that it comes from the rotational kinetic energy of its wavelength. K = Iw^2/2 Beyond this, I have no data. _________________ Krogoth uses Berserk.
Attacks are enhanced but defense weakens.
"Wait, that's not the cure button ... "
Sat Mar 22, 2003 1:12 pm
stFalcon5
Joined: Nov 04, 2002
Post subject:
I spent 30 minutes on my replies to all these questions...and I crash. Bah.
Since I probably won't be back for a while, I have a few things I want to say.
*Only I, or the sprites, can answer any questions
*The Asking Stupid Questions category includes hard mathematical problems stolen from some textbook you probably don't even use, as well as questions that should be common knowledge. I want insightful questions, dammit. It's the only way you all can prove to me you're not the people I perceive you to be. So far, it ain't working.
Gee, ST, maybe we're not taking this seriously because the old Ask ST threads were funny and enlightening at the same time, but the idea of using the FF6 sprites is incredibly, awesomely, and powerfully moronic, and it takes away all of the qualities that made the old threads cool. Ya think? _________________ anime is teh s uck
Play City of Heroes/Villians? Look me up, Pinnacle server, @C Paradox
Last edited by counterparadox on Sat Mar 22, 2003 9:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
Sat Mar 22, 2003 6:03 pm
Nobuyuki
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
John_Bono_Smithy_Satchmo wrote:
Wait, but if your mass approaches infinate, so does the mass of your propellant, and thus your impulse. Hey--you'd get to see the end of the universe! Wohoo!
Order the fish. Talking cows are too creepy. _________________ "When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."- C.S. Lewis
"Superman can't be emo. He can't cut himself."-CP
Sat Mar 22, 2003 7:09 pm
The_Dragon_Master
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
What would win in a fight, a moose, or an antellope? _________________ "I hope you haven't become too attached to your head, because in about two seconds it will be festively decorating that back wall."
Sat Mar 22, 2003 7:16 pm
Force-Attuned_Krogoth
Joined: Nov 10, 2002
Post subject:
The_Dragon_Master wrote:
What would win in a fight, a moose, or an antellope?
Well, what ST5 wants, he gets!! _________________ Krogoth uses Berserk.
Attacks are enhanced but defense weakens.
"Wait, that's not the cure button ... "
Sat Mar 22, 2003 9:24 pm
dougisfunny
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Post subject:
I didn't hear any soap drop... _________________ The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
Sat Mar 22, 2003 10:49 pm
Chibi_Zero
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
...*Chooses no to comment or dougs remark*
Anyway ST if George Carlins Idea of Legal Murder Once a Month was ever made a law. Who would be the 1st people to go on your list in the first 6 months? _________________ "I'm just very selective about the reality I choose to accept." - Calvin
Because blogs make you cool.
Sun Mar 23, 2003 12:28 pm
John_Bono_Smithy_Satchmo
Joined: Nov 13, 2002
Post subject:
Nobuyuki wrote:
Order the fish. Talking cows are too creepy.
I have a question: what was Nobuyuki talking about when he posted this? _________________ This space left intentionally blank.
Sun Mar 23, 2003 5:11 pm
AnimePrime
Joined: Nov 08, 2002
Post subject:
I can't believe that no one has asked this already.
What is the meaning of life?
Sun Mar 23, 2003 8:08 pm
Chibi_Zero
Joined: Nov 07, 2002
Post subject:
I think that was asked awhile ago AP. _________________ "I'm just very selective about the reality I choose to accept." - Calvin
Because blogs make you cool.
All times are GMT - 5 Hours Goto page Previous1, 2, 3, 4Next
Page 3 of 4
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
