- #1
thetexan
- 269
- 13
Why would the speed of light happen to be 186282 mps? What is the property of light that settles on that speed. Why not 200000? Why not 154000? There must be some reason light doesn't travel any faster. And I don't mean relativity.
If it was 200000 then Einstein and the rest of us would be talking about how light is measured at 200000 mph (instead of 186282) regardless of our frame of reference.
It seems like an odd, arbitrary number. Of course we humans chose the distance called a mile and specified its length. If miles were 7438 feet per then we'd all be talking about how the speed of light was constant at 132235 mps! But that's not even what I'm driving at.
Whatever the speed works out to be...Why? What property of light or physics puts the brakes on at this speed and no other. What property of light or physics pushes it to that speed and no slower? For example, if we use an automobile analogy, why does a car only go 70 mph? With this car there are two reasons that two different people might point to. One, the speed limit is 70. Two, on this particular car the engine is only capable of pushing it to 70. So I'm interested as to what about the engine limits it's ABILITY to go faster. Or stated another way...is the speed limit of thought of as 70 because the car CAN'T go faster or can the car not go faster because the speed limit is 70. And if the later, why 70? Why 186282?
I hope this makes sense.
tex
If it was 200000 then Einstein and the rest of us would be talking about how light is measured at 200000 mph (instead of 186282) regardless of our frame of reference.
It seems like an odd, arbitrary number. Of course we humans chose the distance called a mile and specified its length. If miles were 7438 feet per then we'd all be talking about how the speed of light was constant at 132235 mps! But that's not even what I'm driving at.
Whatever the speed works out to be...Why? What property of light or physics puts the brakes on at this speed and no other. What property of light or physics pushes it to that speed and no slower? For example, if we use an automobile analogy, why does a car only go 70 mph? With this car there are two reasons that two different people might point to. One, the speed limit is 70. Two, on this particular car the engine is only capable of pushing it to 70. So I'm interested as to what about the engine limits it's ABILITY to go faster. Or stated another way...is the speed limit of thought of as 70 because the car CAN'T go faster or can the car not go faster because the speed limit is 70. And if the later, why 70? Why 186282?
I hope this makes sense.
tex