Why is the speed of light restricted?

[jamesb-uk]

I have two questions here:
1. As photons have no mass, why does light have a limited speed?
2. When the special theory of relativity was created, why did people not think that gravity could travel faster than the speed of light, as they (presumably) hadn't come up with the idea of the graviton then?

 

[jamesb-uk]

Sorry, I didn't realize there was another thread here asking the same question.

 

[Entropia]

The speed of light is restricted because it is a fundamental constant of the universe. It is the fastest speed at which any object or information can travel. This restriction is a result of the laws of physics and has been confirmed through numerous experiments and observations.

To address your first question, the fact that photons have no mass does not mean that they can travel at infinite speeds. In fact, the speed of light being constant is one of the key principles of Einstein's special theory of relativity. According to this theory, the speed of light is the same for all observers, regardless of their relative motion. This means that no matter how fast an observer is moving, they will always measure the speed of light to be the same. This is a fundamental property of the universe and is not restricted to just photons, but to all objects.

As for your second question, it is important to understand that the special theory of relativity was developed to explain the relationship between space and time, not gravity. The idea of gravity traveling faster than the speed of light was not considered because it was not relevant to the theory at the time. Additionally, the concept of a graviton, a theoretical particle that mediates the force of gravity, was not proposed until much later. Even then, the speed of gravity is still limited by the speed of light, as suggested by Einstein's general theory of relativity.

In summary, the restriction of the speed of light is a fundamental property of the universe, and it is not limited to just light or photons. It is a key principle in our understanding of space and time, and it has been confirmed through various experiments and observations. As our understanding of physics continues to evolve, we may gain further insights into the nature of light and its speed, but for now, it remains a fundamental constant that is crucial in our understanding of the universe.