If something moved at the speed of light

In summary, the conversation revolves around the topic of radiation and its effects on objects. The theory that atoms crashing into an object at the speed of light would cause nuclear explosion or vaporization is discussed. However, one participant shares their experience of generating electrons at high speeds and crashing them into a block of graphite without any such effects. The conversation ends with a humorous comment about the availability of this machine at BestBuy.
  • #1
Gamerex
25
0
then that object would vaporize or cause a nuclear explosion. Atoms crashing into an object at the speed of light would be basically spliting the atoms apart.
|. . . . . . .. .<-----------------------------------------------------
| . . . . . . . . . . . <-----------------------------------------------------------
| .. . . . . . . . . . <--------------------------------------------------

Radiation works on this theory but some material can block radiation ?
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #2
Gamerex said:
then that object would vaporize or cause a nuclear explosion.

Really? Exactly at c, or close to c?

I generate electrons going at 0.999c all the time. I sometime let them crash on a block of graphite after they exit the vacuum beamline. I see no nuclear explosion anywhere or "vaporization".

As with your "energy can be created" thread, you have a lot of misunderstanding about physics here that you are using as the basis for your speculation. You might want to first (i) double check if your understanding of the basic physics is correct before you use it to do other things and (ii) re-read the https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=5374" on speculative posts.

Zz.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #3
ZapperZ said:
Really? Exactly at c, or close to c?

I generate electrons going at 0.999c all the time. I sometime let them crash on a block of graphite after they exit the vacuum beamline. I see no nuclear explosion anywhere or "vaporization".

Zz.

That sounds cool. Where can I get that machine? :P
 
  • #4
At BestBuy. In the TV section.
 
  • #5
nuby said:
At BestBuy. In the TV section.

I'm usually not one to spam, but that made me lol.
 

1. What would happen if an object moved at the speed of light?

If an object were to move at the speed of light, it would experience time dilation, meaning time would appear to slow down for the object. It would also experience length contraction, where its length would appear shorter in the direction of motion. Additionally, the object would have infinite mass and require infinite energy to accelerate to the speed of light.

2. Can anything actually move at the speed of light?

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, nothing with mass can move at the speed of light. Only massless particles, such as photons, can travel at this speed. However, it is still just a theoretical concept as it would require an infinite amount of energy to accelerate an object to the speed of light.

3. Would time stand still if something moved at the speed of light?

No, time would not stand still for an object moving at the speed of light. Time would appear to slow down for the object, but it would still experience the passage of time. This is known as time dilation and is a fundamental aspect of Einstein's theory of relativity.

4. How fast is the speed of light?

The speed of light is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second, or about 670,616,629 miles per hour. It is considered to be the fastest speed at which anything in the universe can travel.

5. What are the implications of something moving at the speed of light?

If an object were able to move at the speed of light, it would fundamentally change our understanding of physics and the universe. It would also have significant technological implications, potentially allowing for faster-than-light travel and communication. However, as of now, it is still just a theoretical concept and has not been achieved by any object with mass.

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
40
Views
14K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
8
Views
1K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
17
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
11K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
17
Views
656
Back
Top