Light & Relativity: 2 Questions Answered

[Dragohunter]

2 questions

Does light have a frame of reference?

Although there is no speed greater than c, can it be said that the change in distance between two identifiable objects changed at a rate greater than c?

For example one person I know said this:

If you are able to do any simple example in special relativity, you will be able to verify this very easily for yourself. Just look at the distance between two photons moving in opposite directions in an arbitrary inertial reference frame.

 

[bcrowell]

Does light have a frame of reference?

Are you asking whether it's possible to have a frame of reference that's moving along with a beam of light? If so, then the answer is no. For example, the $\gamma$ factor linking this frame to the frame of any material object would be infinite.

Although there is no speed greater than c, can it be said that the change in distance between two identifiable objects changed at a rate greater than c?

For example one person I know said this: "If you are able to do any simple example in special relativity, you will be able to verify this very easily for yourself. Just look at the distance between two photons moving in opposite directions in an arbitrary inertial reference frame."

Your friend is correct. What's forbidden by relativity is much more specific. For example, suppose you have an observer who takes measurements in a certain reference frame. Relativity forbids a particle from whizzing right past the observer's location at a speed greater than c. It doesn't forbid distant objects from moving at greater than c relative to the observer. For example, you can say that galaxies beyond the edge of the observable universe are moving away from us at greater than c; however, it's impossible for us to observe those galaxies.

 

[Entropia]

1. Does light have a frame of reference?

According to Einstein's theory of special relativity, light does not have a frame of reference. This means that light does not experience time, distance, or any other physical properties in the same way that objects with mass do. Light always travels at a constant speed of c (the speed of light in a vacuum) regardless of the observer's frame of reference. This is one of the fundamental principles of special relativity and has been extensively tested and confirmed through experiments.

2. Can the change in distance between two identifiable objects change at a rate greater than c?

No, according to special relativity, the speed of light is the maximum speed at which any object can travel. This is known as the cosmic speed limit and is a fundamental principle of the theory. This means that the distance between two objects cannot change at a rate greater than c, regardless of the observer's frame of reference. In the example given, the distance between two photons moving in opposite directions will always remain the same, as they are both traveling at the speed of light. This has also been confirmed through experiments and is a crucial aspect of our understanding of the universe.