Is Object 2 Traveling at Double the Speed of Light Relative to Object 1?

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No material object with non-zero rest mass can exceed the speed of light, which is a fundamental principle of physics. When two objects travel at speeds close to light in opposite directions, their relative speed does not simply add up to double the speed of light; instead, it approaches but never reaches the speed of light due to relativistic effects. The correct calculation for their relative speed is derived from Einstein's Special Relativity, resulting in a speed slightly below the speed of light. Photons, which have zero rest mass, can travel at the speed of light, while all other particles with mass must remain below this limit. The discussion emphasizes the relationship between mass and the speed of light, highlighting the unique properties of massless particles like photons.
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i was curious ,


is it ture that nothing can exceeds the speed of light, such all object (except photon) max speed is "speed of light" ?


2. if both object travel close to light of speed, but in oppsite direction

so realvtive to object 1, is object 2 travel at double of "speed of light"??
 
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Yes, it is true that no material object (with non-zero rest mass) can travel at (or faster than) the speed of light.

If two objects are moving with, say, 0.99c (99% of the speed of light) relative to some third object (every speed has to be relative to something) going in opposite directions then the speed of each one, relative to the other, is (0.99c+ 0.99c)/(1+ (.99c)(.99c)/c2)= 1.98c/(1.9801)= 0.9999c.
 
The formula HallsofIvy used is from Einstein's Special Relativity, which is the theory we must use to deal with such speeds.
 
Here is the full formula in case you wanted to know:

u' = \frac {v+u}{1 + \frac{vu}{c^2}}
 
All particles with a rest mass greater than 0 travel at below the speed of light.
Particles with 0 rest mass only travel at light speed.
Particles with less than 0 rest mass should, if they exist, travel at only greater than light speed.
 
whydoyouwanttoknow said:
All particles with a rest mass greater than 0 travel at below the speed of light.
Particles with 0 rest mass only travel at light speed.
Particles with less than 0 rest mass should, if they exist, travel at only greater than light speed.


oh? so photon is equal to 0 rest mass?

becasue it can travel exactly at speed of light?
 
expscv said:
oh? so photon is equal to 0 rest mass?

becasue it can travel exactly at speed of light?

Yeah, photons have no mass.
 
expscv said:
oh? so photon is equal to 0 rest mass?

becasue it can travel exactly at speed of light?

not exactly, *ahem*

A photon can travel at the speed of light because it has zero rest mass
 
Are you sure there is "causality" here? c speed and 0 mass are pretty much hand in hand IMO. I would say either way to say it is good.
 

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