Why does light travel so quickly?

In summary: I don't get it. Please slap me silly and make me understand.Light travels at a finite speed because it has to travel from the source to the observer.
  • #1
russ_watters
Mentor
23,161
10,367
Why does light travel so...

It finally happened!
 

Attachments

  • light.jpg
    light.jpg
    13.4 KB · Views: 1,009
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2


russ_watters said:
It finally happened!

HAHAHHAHAHAHA SCORE! Merry Christmas!

Put a thread up for it!
 
  • #3
russ_watters said:
It finally happened!

Thank you for doing this Russ! I wanted to but I am on a mobile device. Hahaha!
 
  • #4


so i wonder what lesson(s) should be drawn from this?
 
  • #5


rbj said:
so i wonder what lesson(s) should be drawn from this?

That the speed at which light travels is juuuust about right...
 
  • #6


I don't get it. Please slap me silly and make me understand.
 
  • #7


Newai said:
I don't get it. Please slap me silly and make me understand.

Did you click on the thumbnail :smile:?
 
  • #8


I love it! :biggrin:
 
  • #9


lisab said:
Did you click on the thumbnail :smile:?

Doh! I did, but I only noticed part of it.

lisab said:
That the speed at which light travels is juuuust about right...

Now we need a thread in Quantum Physics that asks why this. By a user named G. Locks.
 
  • #10


"Why does light travel so just right?"
 
  • #11


Char. Limit said:
"Why does light travel so just right?"

:rofl: That's what I've always wanted to know!
 
  • #12


russ_watters said:
It finally happened!
lolz
 
  • #13


:rofl:
 
  • #14


It makes me look like I may have posted a silly thread though :(
 
  • #15


Pengwuino said:
It makes me look like I may have posted a silly thread though :(

I know, lol...
 
  • #16


Good find, Russ!
 
  • #17


Poor Pengwuino.
 
  • #18


The real question is why is light even moving at all?!
 
  • #19


Blenton said:
The real question is why is light even moving at all?!

obviously because the vacuum is rigid
 
  • #20


Electrolux is good.
 
  • #21


Blenton said:
The real question is why is light even moving at all?!

I would attempt to describe the Inuit Planck length poly dimensional theorem of how if one moves too slowly or too quickly, the yo-yo, and therefore the universe, would collapse if not maintained at the correct speed, but I do not know a single word on Inuit.

Sorry.
 
  • #22


More to the point, why doesn't my wife travel light?
 
  • #23


Proton Soup said:
obviously because the vacuum is rigid

Turgid-Vacuum-Theory went out with the 'Aroused-God' conjecture! Man my mind is in the gutter today...
 
  • #24


OmCheeto said:
I would attempt to describe the Inuit Planck length poly dimensional theorem of how if one moves too slowly or too quickly, the yo-yo, and therefore the universe, would collapse if not maintained at the correct speed, but I do not know a single word on Inuit.

Sorry.

Are you sure? I think "Inuit" is an Inuit word...
 
  • #25


russ_watters said:
It finally happened!

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING! NEITHER THREAD CREATOR USED ADVERBS TO DESCRIBE A VERB?

"Why does light travel so quickly."
"Why does light travel so slowly."
 
  • #26


lisab said:
Are you sure? I think "Inuit" is an Inuit word...

Woah... that was very "Yo Dawg."
 
  • #27


lisab said:
Are you sure? I think "Inuit" is an Inuit word...

I think, "Igloo" must be... and I remember that the curved blade they use as a multitool is an, "ulu"... or "ooloo"... *sp?*. A psychotic social studies teacher made us watch the folks kill and butcher a seal (on video)... at a young age. Practically everyone was crying, "the poor seal!", and the girls were just weeping.
 
Last edited:
  • #28


Shame on you all jesters! :grumpy:

STOP LAUGHING and realize that this very profound question was brought forward by *ONE* ENLIGHTENED USER!

211ur0w.png


Christmas Revelation...

73dw6v.png


(:rofl:)


Honestly, I think I was... well, how should I put it... (just to a minor degree :blushing:) "somewhat guilty" in "convincing" physicsnoob12 that the speed of light is VERY slow...

WHAT DID I DO?? :cry:
 
  • #29


w00t
Newai said:
I don't get it. Please slap me silly and make me understand.
Ok.Next we need to orchestrate "Why is Earth so big?" and "Why is Earth so small?" :rofl:
 
  • #30


FtlIsAwesome said:
w00t
Ok.

Next we need to orchestrate "Why is Earth so big?" and "Why is Earth so small?" :rofl:

Ha! 'Brought To You By Lewis Carrol, of Alice In Wonderland Fame!' :rofl:
 
  • #31


That is so... awesome.
 

1. Why is the speed of light considered the fastest in the universe?

The speed of light, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second, is considered the fastest in the universe because it is the maximum speed at which all forms of energy, including electromagnetic radiation, can travel. This is due to the fundamental laws of physics, specifically Einstein's theory of relativity.

2. How does light travel so quickly?

Light travels so quickly because it is made up of massless particles called photons, which have no rest mass and can move at the speed of light. Additionally, light travels in a straight line and does not experience any resistance or friction in the vacuum of space, allowing it to maintain its high speed.

3. Can anything travel faster than the speed of light?

According to our current understanding of physics, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. This is because as an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases infinitely, making it impossible to reach or exceed the speed of light.

4. Why is the speed of light constant in a vacuum?

The speed of light is constant in a vacuum because it is a fundamental constant of the universe. This means that no matter where or when you measure the speed of light, it will always be the same. This is a key principle in Einstein's theory of relativity and has been confirmed by numerous experiments.

5. How does the speed of light affect our daily lives?

The speed of light has a significant impact on our daily lives. It allows us to see and perceive the world around us, as light is responsible for all forms of sight. It also plays a crucial role in communication technologies such as fiber optics and wireless communication. Additionally, the speed of light is used in various scientific fields, including astronomy, physics, and engineering.

Similar threads

  • General Discussion
Replies
14
Views
982
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
3
Views
410
Replies
2
Views
415
Replies
13
Views
1K
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
19
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
65
Views
4K
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
839
Replies
14
Views
1K
Back
Top