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Simtrad
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- TL;DR Summary
- Why is the speed of light limited?
Summary: Why is the speed of light limited?
Why does light have a maximum speed?
Why does light have a maximum speed?
Why is the speed of light limited?
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- Thread starter Simtrad
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In summary: A lot has to do with the way you look at what 'speed' means.I think it's more fundamental than just the speed of light.You should read around more and come back with more questions.The speed of light, relativity, and electromagnetic forces are all intimately related. If the speed of light was infinite, the logic of electromagnetic force would be invalid and the universe would be completely different. Atoms and molecules would not exist as they are now. So maybe the speed of light is finite because otherwise, things wouldn't work out and we wouldn't be here to ask the question.
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BvU
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Nobody knows. It's a fact.
Hello Simtrad,
!
Here at PF we do encourage folks to do some research themselves. We have no way of helping with such broad and general questions if we don't know where you start from ...
Hello Simtrad,
!Here at PF we do encourage folks to do some research themselves. We have no way of helping with such broad and general questions if we don't know where you start from ...
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jedishrfu
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Scientific American has an article on that very question:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-isnt-the-speed-of-lig/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-isnt-the-speed-of-lig/
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sophiecentaur
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It's more to do with the way you're looking at what 'speed' means, I think. There was a recent thread in which the idea of giving c a value of 1 was the starting point and all the rest hangs on it. The School and Newtonian definition of speed is OK for most slow speed situations but it's not enough to explain everything.Simtrad said:
c is not arbitrary; it's far more fundamental.
You must read around as much as you can and then come back with some more informed questions.
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FactChecker
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The speed of light, relativity, and electromagnetic forces are all intimately related. If the speed of light was infinite, the logic of electromagnetic force would be invalid and the universe would be completely different. Atoms and molecules would not exist as they are now. So maybe the speed of light is finite because otherwise, things wouldn't work out and we wouldn't be here to ask the question.
(See How Special Relativity Makes Magnets Work . More examples of how closely the theories are related can be seen in Einstein's Gravito-Electromagnetism, Gravity of moving mass in General Relativity )
(See How Special Relativity Makes Magnets Work . More examples of how closely the theories are related can be seen in Einstein's Gravito-Electromagnetism, Gravity of moving mass in General Relativity )
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Simtrad said:
This has been asked so many times, we even have a video archived on our forum:
https://www.physicsforums.com/media/the-speed-of-light-is-not-about-light.102/
Zz.
- #7
po0
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No one knows yet... It's a postulate.
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It's a postulate based on very accurate empirical facts.
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po0
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Yes and the theory derived from that postulate has also been confirmed time and again by empirical facts.
1. Why is the speed of light limited?
The speed of light is limited because it is a fundamental property of the universe. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is the maximum speed at which any object or information can travel. This limit is a result of the relationship between space and time, and it is a constant value that cannot be exceeded.
2. How was the speed of light first measured?
The speed of light was first measured by Danish astronomer Ole Rømer in 1676. He observed the moons of Jupiter and noticed that their eclipses occurred at slightly different times depending on the position of Earth in its orbit. By measuring the time difference, Rømer was able to calculate the speed of light to be approximately 220,000 kilometers per second.
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. As an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases and it requires more and more energy to accelerate further. This means that it would take an infinite amount of energy to reach the speed of light, making it impossible to exceed.
4. How does the limitation of the speed of light affect our daily lives?
The limitation of the speed of light has a significant impact on our daily lives. It is the reason why we see the sun's light several minutes after it has actually been emitted, and why we experience a delay when using satellite communication. It also plays a crucial role in modern technologies such as GPS and fiber optic cables.
5. Is it possible for the speed of light to change?
There is currently no evidence to suggest that the speed of light can change. It is considered a fundamental constant in physics, and any changes to it would require a major revision of our understanding of the universe. However, some theories, such as string theory, suggest that the speed of light may have been different in the early stages of the universe, but this is still a topic of ongoing research and debate.
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