Faster than light? Is it true?

Discussion in 'Physics & Math' started by wesmorris, Aug 16, 2007.

  1. wesmorris Nerd Overlord - we(s):1 of N Valued Senior Member

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  3. bsemak Just this guy, you know Registered Senior Member

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    The tunneling is a pure quantum mechanical effect. So it does not mean that we can have a space ship traveling at the speed of light.
     
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  5. wesmorris Nerd Overlord - we(s):1 of N Valued Senior Member

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    So you think it's just highlighting the incongruence between QM and GR?
     
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  7. bsemak Just this guy, you know Registered Senior Member

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    I would say so. Tunneling is (as far as I remember) an effect which works over short distance ranges. It is known to be the mechanism behind nuclear fusion, were say protons with equal charge will fuse if they are brought close enough together. This is what happens in the core of the sun. If they are squezed close enough together, they will tunnel through the energy barrier between them and fuse, rather than repel.

    I will see if there are more details somewhere on this experiment, the article in your link is a bit short. This could be the case, where some interpretation of the results comes into the equation. They may be a bit enthusiastic....
     
  8. Vern Registered Senior Member

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    This is an illusion caused by averaging the pulse widths of the input and output to pinpoint the pulse's location. The output pulse width is much less than the input pulse width and the leading edge of the output pulse trails the leading edge of the input pulse exactly as it should. It is as if the tunnel was open for a short burst then closed before the input could complete.

    I Blogged it here
     
  9. wesmorris Nerd Overlord - we(s):1 of N Valued Senior Member

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  10. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    It must be able to be repeated by other scientists and until those repeats are concluded we can't really know for certain. Just like the cold fusion that was developed but found out to be a fraud.
     
  11. allisone417 i'll be in my room Registered Senior Member

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    Carefully re-read what Einstein said.
    (I guess learn German, while you're at it.)
     
  12. Lord Hillyer Banned Banned

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    The speed of light is what most humans, at this particular blink in their long manipulated history, agree to be the fastest in the universe. I would be extremely surprised if this 'fact' is objectively true.
     
  13. BenTheMan Dr. of Physics, Prof. of Love Valued Senior Member

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    Vern---one must be careful about these things. There's always the question (as I recall) about phase velocity and group velocity of a wave packet. While an individual mode can have a phase velocity greater than the speed of light within the packet, the packet itself is bound by the speed of light.
     
  14. Nasor Valued Senior Member

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  15. Vern Registered Senior Member

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    Yes; I know. I'm not sure this is the same effect that I saw.
     
  16. peta9 Registered Senior Member

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    the photon has no mass
     
  17. quadraphonics Bloodthirsty Barbarian Valued Senior Member

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    the post has no relevance
     
  18. bsemak Just this guy, you know Registered Senior Member

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  19. BenTheMan Dr. of Physics, Prof. of Love Valued Senior Member

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    you are light years ahead of some of the posters in this forum

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  20. Jeff 152 Registered Senior Member

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    if light is made to go faster than c, is it contradicting the light speed barrier? since photons are massless? as far as i know the light speed barrier only applies to things with mass, which is why photons can travel at c
     
  21. cat2only Registered Senior Member

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    Light can't escape a black hole so that means something is slowing it down! I would say yes it is possible.
     

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