Relativistic Effects: Particle Accelerators & Speed of Light

[pixel01]

In a textbook about relativity, I read that particle accelarators can get to a limit because of the relativistic effects. Is that not the limit of speed of light?

Thanks for any help.

 

[neutrino]

Please quote the original text for clarity. Thanks.

 

[ZapperZ]

In a textbook about relativity, I read that particle accelarators can get to a limit because of the relativistic effects. Is that not the limit of speed of light?

Thanks for any help.

That would be the most obvious thing to assume, but as neutrino has pointed out, in this forum, before we can comment on what you think you read, we have to know exactly where you read it from. Just saying "I read somewhere" or "I heard this somewhere" is not good enough for this forum. I hope everyone, especially the newbies, is aware of this.

Zz.

 

[George Jones]

In a textbook about relativity, I read that particle accelarators can get to a limit because of the relativistic effects. Is that not the limit of speed of light?

Thanks for any help.

Yes, there is a limit to the speed (with repspect to Earth) that an accelerator can impart to a particle, but, in principle (practice is a different story), there in no limit to the energy that an accelerator can impart to a particle.

 

[pmb_phy]

In a textbook about relativity, I read that particle accelarators can get to a limit because of the relativistic effects. Is that not the limit of speed of light?

Thanks for any help.

The speed limit of tardyon's (defined as particles for which v < c at all times) is obviously yes. Tardyon's are things like electrons, protons, positrons, antiprotons, etc. The are two other classes of particles. One is a Luxon for which v = c at all times (e.g. a photon) while the last one is a Tachyon for which v > c at all times. Tachyon's have never been observed so for all we know they don't exist. I read the argument for their existence and found it weak to flawed myself. That is just my personal opinion. But I doubt many physicists believe in the existence of Tachyons. However if they did exist then they are born moving faster than light and at best one accelerates it to as high of a speed as one wishes or decelerates it to a lower bound of the speed of light.

Best regards

Pete

 

[RetardedBastard]

The speed limit of tardyon's (defined as particles for which v < c at all times) is obviously yes. Tardyon's are things like electrons, protons, positrons, antiprotons, etc. The are two other classes of particles. One is a Luxon for which v = 0 at all times (e.g. a photon) while the last one is a Tachyon for which v > c at all times. Tachyon's have never been observed so for all we know they don't exist. I read the argument for their existence and found it weak to flawed myself. That is just my personal opinion. But I doubt many physicists believe in the existence of Tachyons. However if they did exist then they are born moving faster than light and at best one accelerates it to as high of a speed as one wishes or decelerates it to a lower bound of the speed of light.

Best regards

Pete

Did you mean, "One is a Luxon for which v = c at all times?"

 

[pmb_phy]

Did you mean, "One is a Luxon for which v = c at all times?"

Yes! Thank you very much for pointing that out for me. I have gone back and corrected it now.

Thanks again!

Pete

 

[RetardedBastard]

Yes! Thank you very much for pointing that out for me. I have gone back and corrected it now.

Thanks again!

Pete

You are welcome. :)