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by dealer on December 15th, 2003

dealer

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You are in a space ship traveling at the speed of light. You turn on the headlights. What happens to that light?

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  • by Drinking Dano on January 5th, 2005

    Drinking Dano

    Ok, we all know that this question is invalid. So let’s stop harping on that point.

    Let’s pretend for a second that it IS possible to reach the speed of light and stay there. And let's ignore the actual science of light spectrums and shifting paterns for the sake of a simple answer.

    We’ll use this example; (And let’s keep the ratings fair given that we ARE talking about the impossible.)

    You are on a train. That train is traveling at the speed of light. You are facing a wall on the train. You turn on a flashlight; Low and Behold! There is the beam of light on the wall! Why? Because the train is traveling at the speed of light WITH you, as is the flashlight.

    Take the same example, and shine the light facing the wall towards the “engine” of the train (That is to say, the “front” of the train) and low and behold, the beam of light is on the wall at the front of the train! Why? Because the train is traveling WITH you, as is the flashlight.

    Now, let’s turn on the headlights of this train. What do you know? The headlights are projecting light ahead! Why? Because the headlights are moving with the train!

    This can easily be proven in a much more minor scale of speed and using mass. Next time you are in the car flying down the highway, flip a coin. The coin does not go shooting out the back window; it goes up and then comes down. Why? Because the coin is traveling WITH you in the car.

    The point is that this is all (I hate to use the term!) RELATIVE to each other! The speed of light while being a constant is also a very abstract idea.

    If you really want a question that will draw debate, ask if a person outside of your sphere of speed would see the headlights as you approached them!

    OH! And in answer to Scrooge's Question; The people in Star Trek NEVER went at the speed of light. They "warped" space to bring the speed of light to an attainable constant.

    Comments

    • My answer was simple but yours explained to all us dummies where it could be understood.+5

      Long Shot

      by Long Shot on December 24th, 2008

    • I think it is wrong because nothing will happen to the headlights trying to beam out in front of the vehicle. You are already going at the speed of light and that speed of light can't exceed itself. Now as for someone inside it is correct.

      PLB

      by PLB on March 9th, 2009

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      TheRazzz

      by TheRazzz on March 26th, 2010

    • The answer is incorrect. The speed of light is the universal constant and doesn't follow the laws of inertia. If you turned on the headlights on a train traveling at the speed of light, the light would be traveling at the same speed you are currently moving and thus never reach the wall you are pointing the light at.

      abyssalrx

      by abyssalrx on April 27th, 2012

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