What Would Sound Like at the Speed of Light?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the perception of sound for a human traveling at the speed of light, emphasizing that sound would not change for the traveler within a craft. It is established that if traveling through a medium like air, the traveler would experience sound normally, while observers would hear the sound of any explosion with a delay based on distance. In the absence of matter, such as in space, the traveler would notice nothing unless observing external phenomena, like cosmic background radiation. The conversation highlights the relativity of velocity and the concept of internal frames of reference.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the theory of relativity
  • Familiarity with sound propagation in different media
  • Knowledge of cosmic background radiation
  • Concept of frames of reference in physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of traveling near the speed of light on perception
  • Study the properties of sound in various mediums, including air and vacuum
  • Explore the concept of frames of reference in Einstein's theory of relativity
  • Investigate the effects of cosmic background radiation on high-speed travel
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, science enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the effects of relativistic speeds on perception and sound.

NiceJerkGuy
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
If man were able to travel the speed of light - what would it sound like to this man? Would it be a mad deafening roar? Or would it be complete silence? What does the speed of light sound like?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
If he was traveling in a craft, sound for him would not change from the way it is in our everyday world. If we were watching him pass by, he would burn up from the friction in the sound medium (air). Then you would hear the sound from the blast about 1 second later for every mile distance from the explosion.
 
NiceJerkGuy said:
If man were able to travel the speed of light - what would it sound like to this man? Would it be a mad deafening roar? Or would it be complete silence? What does the speed of light sound like?

It he were traveling in space in the absense of matter then at speeds near light speed (you can't go at light speed) he wouldn't notice anything unless he was looking out the window. This is because its impossible to even speak of moving unless you've stated what your moving with respect to. Right now you are moving at near the speed of light with respect to some frames of reference.

If he were moving near c with respect to the average rest frame of matter in the universe (locally) then he'd notice nothing as welll unless he looked out the window. Then, because he's traveling at near the speed of light with respect to the cosmic background radiation (locaal zero momentum frame) then he'd see gamma rays in the direction of motion and super lw frequency rays when he looked out his rear window.

Pete
 
I'm traveling at almost the speed of light right now (as I imagine everyone on this forum likewise is doing). Note that such a statement in no way contradicts the perspective that I am also at rest.
 
exackly. all of us are traveling at imencelly high speeds right now (space expansion), but because we are in an internal frame, this has no effect on us and we cannot notice it.
 
It has nothing to do with space expansion. It is the issue that velocity is a relative quantity.

What's an "internal frame?"
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Speed of Sound & Light: Is it True?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
High School Let me ask a thing about the Speed of Light
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
High School Why is the constant speed of light so unique?
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
1K
High School One-Way Speed of Light
  • · Replies 93 ·
4
Replies
93
Views
6K
Undergrad A question about the speed of light and electromagnetism
  • · Replies 51 ·
2
Replies
51
Views
4K
High School c^2 in Einstein‘s theory of relativity
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
High School Meaningfulness of the speed of light
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
2K
Undergrad Conventionality of the One-Way Speed of Light
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
1K
High School Speed of Light & Sound: Revolutionary Phenomenon?
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
2K
Undergrad Light Speed in Dense Medium: Explained
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K