Can Photons Travel the Same Path at Different Speeds?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of photons and their behavior in spacetime, particularly whether two photons emitted at different times can be said to travel the same path and the implications of their speeds. The scope includes conceptual exploration of relativity and the properties of light in both flat and curved spacetime.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that if two photons are emitted 1 second apart, the first photon would not be caught by the second, raising questions about the perception of such an event.
  • Another participant asserts that photons do not have a frame of reference, indicating that discussing a photon's experience is fundamentally meaningless.
  • A later reply introduces the idea that while the initial claim holds in flat spacetime, it may not apply in certain curved spacetimes, suggesting a complexity in the behavior of photons under different conditions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of photon behavior in spacetime, with some agreeing on the impossibility of a photon's frame of reference while others introduce the complexity of curved spacetime, indicating unresolved aspects of the discussion.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in understanding photon behavior, particularly regarding assumptions about spacetime curvature and the implications of relativity on the experience of light.

y2kmisty2000
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A quick question, let's just say that my friend and I became photons, and were emitted from a light source in the same direction 1 second apart. My photon friend would never catch up to me, right? Am I correct to say that I wouldn't even be able to tell that he was following me since his information would never catch up to me?
 
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Yes...
 
Before you get too much further, you must live with the fact that photons cannot have a frame of reference. It is meaningless to ask what a photon experiences, even in principle.

This may not seem relevant, but as this question continues, you will surely find this post being referred to.
 
y2kmisty2000 said:
A quick question, let's just say that my friend and I became photons, and were emitted from a light source in the same direction 1 second apart. My photon friend would never catch up to me, right?
That would be true in flat spacetime but not necessarily true in certain curved spacetimes.
 

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