What Determines the Speed of Light Limit?

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SUMMARY

The speed of light is a constant value of 186,282 miles per second, determined by the properties of space and time as described by Maxwell's equations and general relativity. This speed is not arbitrary but is a result of the vacuum's permittivity and permeability, which are fundamental physical constants. The numerical value of the speed of light is influenced by the choice of measurement units, and in different units, it can appear as a dimensionless constant. Ultimately, the speed of light reflects the fundamental nature of reality and the evolution of the universe as perceived by observers.

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  • Understanding of Maxwell's equations
  • Familiarity with general relativity concepts
  • Knowledge of vacuum permittivity and permeability
  • Basic grasp of dimensional analysis in physics
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  • #31
Whyndham_UCL said:
c is a fundamental constant.
No, c is not a fundamental constant.

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/constants.html

To all: this thread has gotten out of hand and is full of misinformation. Please read the linked article. The value of c is entirely an artifact of your choice of units and has no physical significance; furthermore you cannot logically talk about the value of c independent of the units.

The only quantities which are independent of the units are dimensionless quantities, like the fine structure constant. I don't know why so many people seem resistant to this idea. Also, the dimensionless constants are the ones that contain the physics. See:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2011753&postcount=55
https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2015734&postcount=68

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