Is speed of time c, atleast for someone travelling at speed of light?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of time dilation and its relationship to speed, specifically at the speed of light. The idea is that as an object approaches the speed of light, time slows down and eventually ceases. This is supported by equations, but it can also be interpreted as the object traveling at the rate at which time changes. The conversation also touches on the confusion between the observer's perspective and the moving object's perspective.
  • #1
aaryan0077
69
0
Okay, I know there are many threads about this and I checked some
like
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=38157" and some more, but I don't found what I was looking for.
Okay, let say we have a light cone http://img7.yfrog.com/img7/6463/lightcone3.jpg [Broken]
Where Vertical and horizontal axis representing time and space respectively
and L1, L2 & L3 represent path allowed for massive bodies, light and path not allowed respectively.
We travel at a speed that relates to path L1.
If we are stationary we'll just go through time, but no space.
Now, let's say we start to increase speed and time starts to dilates.
The more speed the more dilation.
At speed of light (which I know to reach is not possible atleast until we have much more advance technology) time ceases.
Why?
Because equations shows it.
But what if we look at it in a different way? Time ceases because we are traveling at the rate at which time changes..
So, as we are also changing at the same rate, the time doesn't change according to our perspective.
Does this means that time travels at speed of light?
 
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  • #2
define "speed of time"
 
  • #3
malawi_glenn said:
define "speed of time"

Sorry, you replied too early, and it's not your fault but mine.
I pressed enter just after typing first line, (and you thought it's the whole question).
I had to edit the post. Now, look its a bit different from what you'd seen earlier. :smile:
 
  • #4
aaryan0077 said:
At speed of light (which I know to reach is not possible atleast until we have much more advance technology) time ceases.
Why?
Because equations shows it.
But what if we look at it in a different way? Time ceases because we are traveling at the rate at which time changes...
That is the idea that everything advances trough space-(proper)time at c. And the speed in space and in proper-time(aging) are just the projections of that advancement. Visualized here:
http://www.adamtoons.de/physics/relativity.swf
aaryan0077 said:
So, as we are also changing at the same rate, the time doesn't change according to our perspective.
No, according to our perspective, we are never moving and time always runs normally. You are very confusing by using "we" as the observer and the moving object. And you never say which time you mean: clock stationary to observer(coordinate time) or moving with the observed object (objects proper time). But I guess you mean the above mentioned geometrical interpretation of the relationship:

(delta_coordinate_time * c)2 = (delta_proper_time * c )2 + delta_space2
 

1. What is the speed of time for someone travelling at the speed of light?

According to the theory of relativity, the speed of time for someone travelling at the speed of light is relative to their own perspective. This means that for someone travelling at the speed of light, time would appear to be passing normally for them, but it would appear to be moving much faster for an outside observer.

2. Is the speed of time at the speed of light infinite?

No, the speed of time for someone travelling at the speed of light is not infinite. While time may appear to pass differently for this individual, it is still passing at a constant rate and is not infinite.

3. Can anything travel faster than the speed of light?

According to the theory of relativity, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. As an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases and it requires more and more energy to accelerate it further. This makes it impossible for anything to reach or exceed the speed of light.

4. How does the speed of time at the speed of light affect aging?

For someone travelling at the speed of light, time would appear to be moving slower for them compared to someone who is not travelling at that speed. This means that they would age slower than someone who is not travelling at the speed of light. This is known as time dilation and has been proven through experiments with high-speed particles.

5. Can we ever travel at the speed of light?

Based on our current understanding of physics, it is highly unlikely that we will ever be able to travel at the speed of light. As mentioned before, as an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases and it requires an infinite amount of energy to accelerate it further. This makes it practically impossible for us to reach the speed of light.

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