It doesn't matter how much it accelerates, it cannot exceed c. The closer you get to c, the smaller and smaller amount of additional velocity you get from further acceleration. This is such a basic question that I suggest that you do some reading on Special Relativity and the Lorentz Transform.Fraser MacDonald said:If an object is in a large vacuum chamber and is dropped, what is to stop it from accelerating to the point that it passes the speed of light, because there would be no air resistance to stop it from constantly accelerating?
Thank you very much, very helpfulphinds said:It doesn't matter how much it accelerates, it cannot exceed c. The closer you get to c, the smaller and smaller amount of additional velocity you get from further acceleration. This is such a basic question that I suggest that you do some reading on Special Relativity and the Lorentz Transform.
Thank you, I have asked a few people with a more physics related background to myself but they weren't too sure. This clears everything up.jedishrfu said:You're combining notions of Newtonian physics with Einsteinian physics. Newtonian physics is a great approximation to Relativity for slow speeds.
Basically as the velocity increases past a certain number, you can no longer rely on Newtonian physics and must switch to Einstein relativity to compute the changing velocity. In the relativity realm your object will approach the speed of light limit but never reach it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_relativity
Traveling faster than light in a vacuum chamber is not possible according to our current understanding of physics. The speed of light is considered to be the universal speed limit and nothing can travel faster than it.
Warp drive is a theoretical concept in which the fabric of space-time is distorted, allowing for faster-than-light travel. However, this is only a concept and has not been proven to be possible in reality. So, it does not directly relate to faster than light travel in a vacuum chamber.
No, it is not currently possible for a spacecraft to achieve faster than light travel in a vacuum chamber. The laws of physics, specifically Einstein's theory of relativity, state that the speed of light is the maximum attainable speed.
Since faster than light travel is not possible, there are no known dangers or consequences associated with it. However, if it were to become possible in the future, it could potentially disrupt our understanding of physics and the laws of the universe.
Currently, there are no known experiments or research being conducted on faster than light travel in a vacuum chamber. Scientists are still trying to understand the fundamental principles of our universe and the limitations of physics. However, there may be ongoing theoretical studies and discussions on the topic.