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No matter how fast an observer moves, a light ray will always travel at the constant speed of 2.997*10^8 m/s.
Therefore, for what reason do we say light travels at a 'velocity'? What is the meaning of this word for a ray of light?
Surely from the perspective of the light, there would be no conception of space and there would be no intrinsic velocity for the light ray.
Could not the 'velocity' of light be a byword to a form of action, which an inertial observer interprets as a velocity? After all, we cannot know a velocity exists without referring to a background frame of reference (i.e the rest of the mass in the universe).
However, in the Lorentz transformations, the mass of a body increases as the 'velocity aproaches c'. If c is unity, then '0.98 of c' would indicate a large increase of mass. But how can this be, if a light ray always recedes away from the observer at the same speed?
Perhaps someone could clarify this issue for me. On the one hand, light seems to have no 'velocity' - only a form of action, expressed as a speed for inertial observers. But on the other (Lorentz) it has an intrinsic velocity which an inertial observer can approach, but never reach exactly.
Therefore, for what reason do we say light travels at a 'velocity'? What is the meaning of this word for a ray of light?
Surely from the perspective of the light, there would be no conception of space and there would be no intrinsic velocity for the light ray.
Could not the 'velocity' of light be a byword to a form of action, which an inertial observer interprets as a velocity? After all, we cannot know a velocity exists without referring to a background frame of reference (i.e the rest of the mass in the universe).
However, in the Lorentz transformations, the mass of a body increases as the 'velocity aproaches c'. If c is unity, then '0.98 of c' would indicate a large increase of mass. But how can this be, if a light ray always recedes away from the observer at the same speed?
Perhaps someone could clarify this issue for me. On the one hand, light seems to have no 'velocity' - only a form of action, expressed as a speed for inertial observers. But on the other (Lorentz) it has an intrinsic velocity which an inertial observer can approach, but never reach exactly.