- #1
silverdiesel
- 65
- 0
SR tells us that at the speed of light, time stops, your length contracts to nothing, and your resistance to acceleration becomes infinite requiring infinite energy... according to an stationary observer.
But! How do we know that observer is stationary, and it is not him who requires infinite energy?
Einstein did not like the ether because if you could travel the speed of light then you could measure EM radiation as simply E or M fields at constant magnitude. Thus, his first postulate is that the laws of physics are the same for all intertial frames. However, even in SR, at the speed of light, couldn't you tell how fast you are moving based on your resistance to acceleration. If you require infinate energy to change speed, perhaps you are going the speed of light. (or, more realistically, if you require a great deal of energy to change speed, perhaps you are moving very near to the speed of light).
??
But! How do we know that observer is stationary, and it is not him who requires infinite energy?
Einstein did not like the ether because if you could travel the speed of light then you could measure EM radiation as simply E or M fields at constant magnitude. Thus, his first postulate is that the laws of physics are the same for all intertial frames. However, even in SR, at the speed of light, couldn't you tell how fast you are moving based on your resistance to acceleration. If you require infinate energy to change speed, perhaps you are going the speed of light. (or, more realistically, if you require a great deal of energy to change speed, perhaps you are moving very near to the speed of light).
??