Hello! I am not a physisist nor a mathenatican so try giving feedback that could be understod :-)


We all know that accordning to Einstein it would be impossible to travel at the speed of light since that would demand an infinite amount of energy (or something like that).

Even so, would it be possible to travel faster without violating that law? For instance if we could modify other parameters like gravity or physical distance.


Also, we all know speed is a matter of relativity. How come lightspeed is then a constant?

Originally posted by Robban
We all know that accordning to Einstein it would be impossible to travel at the speed of light since that would demand an infinite amount of energy (or something like that).Are you sure Einstein said this? I have heard the idea before, but I never heard anyone give credit to Einstein for it.




Originally posted by Robban
Even so, would it be possible to travel faster without violating that law?Conjecturally, yes. Do a search for tachyons on the net. Observationally, I'm pretty sure that physicists don't believe so.




Originally posted by Robban
For instance if we could modify other parameters like gravity or physical distance.In what sense do you mean these to be parameters? Are you talking about Newton's graviational constant, G, or something in one of the elements of Einsteins equation? Do you mean standard lengths like the wavelength of light emitted from one of the level decays of an atom or something like that?




Originally posted by Robban
Also, we all know speed is a matter of relativity. How come lightspeed is then a constant? Maxwell's equations.




I'm assuming that you know a few things about physics.

Robban:

<i>We all know that accordning to Einstein it would be impossible to travel at the speed of light since that would demand an infinite amount of energy (or something like that).</i>

That's right.

<i>Even so, would it be possible to travel faster without violating that law? For instance if we could modify other parameters like gravity or physical distance.</i>

Yes. There are a few ideas on how we might overcome the light speed barrier. One possibility is that we could use wormholes as "shortcuts" through space. Another possibility is that we might learn how to stretch and compress space to make a "warp drive". Nothing in the known laws of physics says that either of these things is impossible.

<i>Also, we all know speed is a matter of relativity. How come lightspeed is then a constant?</i>

Nobody knows. That's just the way the universe works.

"Nobody knows. That's just the way the universe works."

Sounds like a flaw in the system :) Like then the teologists try to desperatly patch the flaws in their religion.

For instance if we could modify other parameters like gravity or physical distance.

This is what speeds approaching that of light does...doesn't it? I mean as you approach light speed you become almost infinitly massive curving space-time around you so that, relative to you i mean from your perspective everything exists within the same space including time i.e. you are everywhere at once and all time is where you are so that it stands still, so that even near the speed of light you can travel to anywhere within a split second, or is all this just wrong?

Originally posted by Robban
Sounds like a flaw in the systemIt is part of the definition of the system, unless I don't understand to what you refer when you say, "the system." To be fair, though, one thing about science is that we are always having to patch things somehow when there are consistent observations indicating a "flaw." In that sense, it would be quite arrogant to expect anything more from science.

mmm yes. Thanks for the answers!

Originally posted by Robban

1) We all know that accordning to Einstein it would be impossible to travel at the speed of light since that would demand an infinite amount of energy (or something like that).

2) Also, we all know speed is a matter of relativity. How come lightspeed is then a constant?



1) Wrong.
What would be impossible to travel at the speed of light?
Photons travel at the speed of light with a finite amount of energy. I think what u mean is something with a rest mass cannot!

2) Relativity itself only comes from the postulate given by Einstein that c is a constant. Otherwise it wouldn't work!