Question on speed of light? I realize that this was almost answered in the topic "Focusing to Infinity" but not quite. If a person could drive a car at night at the speed of light and...

Cameoblue Loc: British Columbia Canada

I realize that this was almost answered in the topic "Focusing to Infinity" but not quite. If a person could drive a car at night at the speed of light and turned on the headlights, what would happen? Could they see ahead of themselves? What if they were traveling faster than the speed of light, would the results be different?

If they tried to take a picture would they get an image?
So many questions, so many possibilities, I'm so confused.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Cameoblue wrote:

I realize that this was almost answered in the topic "Focusing to Infinity" but not quite. If a person could drive a car at night at the speed of light and turned on the headlights, what would happen? Could they see ahead of themselves? What if they were traveling faster than the speed of light, would the results be different?

If they tried to take a picture would they get an image?
So many questions, so many possibilities, I'm so confused.

They would get ahead of themselves.

<laughing>

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

Not sure if you have ever noticed or not, but this is not really the place to look for rocket scientists!!! LOL

Cameoblue wrote:

I realize that this was almost answered in the topic "Focusing to Infinity" but not quite. If a person could drive a car at night at the speed of light and turned on the headlights, what would happen? Could they see ahead of themselves? What if they were traveling faster than the speed of light, would the results be different?

If they tried to take a picture would they get an image?
So many questions, so many possibilities, I'm so confused.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SpeedOfLight/headlights.html

Cameoblue Loc: British Columbia Canada

St3v3M wrote:

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SpeedOfLight/headlights.html

Wow I have been asking this question since the 70's not even realizing I was plagiarizing Einstein. This Einstein guy looks like he may have been a kinda smart guy.:wink: Thanks for the link, very interesting.

:thumbup:

tramsey Loc: Texas

So then what about Capt. James T. Kirk, Capt Jean Luc Picard and the rest of Star Trek gang. When they kicked the Enterprise in the pants and went to warp 1, that is the speed of light, warp 2 is ten times faster than that and Warp 3 is ten time faster than Warp 2 etc. But then they never turned the Enterprise's headlights on then either. :) :)

SteveR Loc: Michigan

The ship would overcome the light from the headlights. They would be able to see whatever light was coming at them. However, they would not be able to see anything behind them.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Cameoblue wrote:

I realize that this was almost answered in the topic "Focusing to Infinity" but not quite. If a person could drive a car at night at the speed of light and turned on the headlights, what would happen? Could they see ahead of themselves? What if they were traveling faster than the speed of light, would the results be different?

If they tried to take a picture would they get an image?
So many questions, so many possibilities, I'm so confused.

Einstein wondered the same thing. Light travels at the same speed. Period. You can't "catch up to it" or outrun it. If you were riding a beam of light with your car, the headlights would still shine out in front of you.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

tramsey wrote:

So then what about Capt. James T. Kirk, Capt Jean Luc Picard and the rest of Star Trek gang. When they kicked the Enterprise in the pants and went to warp 1, that is the speed of light, warp 2 is ten times faster than that and Warp 3 is ten time faster than Warp 2 etc. But then they never turned the Enterprise's headlights on then either. :) :)

They weren't actually going that fast. They were warping space to get to their destination sooner. They were moving their destination closer to themselves. They didn't use their headlights be cause the Romulans would be able to detect them easier. :D

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

If the ship went faster than the speed of light, the headlights would shine on the back of the vehicle and it would look like they were being tailgated. ;)

SteveR wrote:

The ship would overcome the light from the headlights. They would be able to see whatever light was coming at them. However, they would not be able to see anything behind them.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

tramsey wrote:

So then what about Capt. James T. Kirk, Capt Jean Luc Picard and the rest of Star Trek gang. When they kicked the Enterprise in the pants and went to warp 1, that is the speed of light, warp 2 is ten times faster than that and Warp 3 is ten time faster than Warp 2 etc. But then they never turned the Enterprise's headlights on then either. :) :)

Could they fire their weapons at warp speed or did they have to slow down? Also, did the transporters work when they were in warp drive? And did Kligon cloaking work at warp speed? I was a rocket scientist (at least that's how the DOD classified my job) and I still don't know. Inquiring minds ( besides mine) want to know!

SteveR Loc: Michigan

jerryc41 wrote:

Einstein wondered the same thing. Light travels at the same speed. Period. You can't "catch up to it" or outrun it. If you were riding a beam of light with your car, the headlights would still shine out in front of you.

I don't quite understand what you're saying, Jerry. Our hypothetical situation is a spaceship going faster than the speed of light, so in this scenario you could outrun a beam of light. That's why I don't think the headlights would shine out in front of you. Just like an airplane going faster than the speed of sound outruns the noise of its engines. The sound doesn't go speed of sound + speed of plane. Likewise the light from our headlights would not go speed of light + speed of spaceship. The light from the headlights would only go the speed of light. Since the spaceship is traveling faster than the speed of light, the spaceship would overtake the light from the headlights. If you question my logic, take a flashlight and run down the street with it. The light from the flashlight does not go speed of light + the speed you are running. Light can only travel the speed of light.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

I think they would get a ticket !!

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

Yes ..... but its relative to where the observer is situated.
The light from the headlights travels at the speed of light relative to the car.
So therefore, from inside the car, the headlights shine out front and light up the path ahead.

All the normal rules are out the window in this case. You cannot compare properties of sound, with properties of light.

SteveR wrote:

I don't quite understand what you're saying, Jerry... (show quote)

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Lighthouse....You're right, but the light can only travel at the speed of light. If you're traveling in a car at 70 mph, your observation is correct. However, if the car is traveling faster than the speed of light, your observation is incorrect because the light from the headlights can only travel at the speed of light, not the speed of light + the speed of the car. Light can only travel the speed of light. However, you could actually throw a baseball out of the car window that would go the speed of the baseball + the speed of the car, so in theory, the baseball could go faster than the light from the headlights....and you would not be able to see the baseball once you threw it, unless there was oncoming light to illuminate it.