Faster than Light Particles: Meuons & Photons

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of whether any particles, specifically muons and photons, can travel faster than the speed of light. It explores theoretical implications, interpretations of relativity, and the nature of light and mass.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that photons travel at the speed of light and not faster, while muons are believed to have mass and cannot exceed this speed.
  • One participant mentions that muons, according to some theories, might have zero rest mass, which could allow them to travel at the speed of light, but this is challenged by another participant who states that muons do have mass.
  • A participant introduces the concept of tachyons, hypothetical particles that are theorized to always travel faster than light, although no such particles have been observed.
  • Another point raised involves the concept of group velocity, indicating that while individual photons travel at the speed of light, the transmission of light signals through a medium can be delayed, allowing other particles to overtake them.
  • A participant references a book theorizing that the speed of light may vary based on one's position in the universe, suggesting that under this theory, particles could appear to travel faster than light relative to an observer.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of muons and their speed relative to light, as well as the validity of tachyons. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the possibility of particles traveling faster than light, with multiple competing perspectives presented.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the definitions of mass and speed in the context of relativity and theoretical physics. The discussion also touches on the implications of varying speeds of light based on different theoretical frameworks.

vivekhere
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Can anyone help on it?

hi,

is any particle can travel faster than light ?? . somewhere i heard meuons,photons can travel. is it so??
 
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You have, actually, two questions here. Certainly, photons travel at the speed of light, not faster. Photons are light. Muon's, I believe, according to some theories have zero rest mass and so could travel at the speed of light, not faster. Relativity says that no object can go from below the speed of light to greater than the speed of light but leaves open the possibility of "tachyons" that always travel faster than light. No such particles have ever been observed.
 
vivekhere said:
hi,

is any particle can travel faster than light ?? . somewhere i heard meuons,photons can travel. is it so??

No, they can't.

Again, whenever you "hear" something like this, REMEMBER the source and then make the exact citation here. There's no way of telling if (i) you heard the wrong information (ii) you interpret the information wrongly (iii) or there's just some bad physics going on.

Zz.
 
Last edited:
HallsofIvy said:
Muon's, I believe, according to some theories have zero rest mass and so could travel at the speed of light, not faster.

Er.. muons do have a mass, larger than electrons, in fact. I think you may be thinking of neutrinos.

Zz.
 
There's also the ever-vexing issue of group velocity. While individual photons always travel at c, the transmission of a light signal through a refractive medium can be delayed enough to allow other particles to overtake it (see the Cherenkov Radiation thread below).
 
Ken Salem wrote a book ("2.8 Angstroms") that theorizes the speed of light is changing and is relative to our position in the universe. So I suppose using this theory, particles could travel faster than the speed of light according to us.

It is an interesting book -- a little far fetched, but very interesting.
 

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