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chav1

13-03-2006 02:31

if a car

if a car was to travel at the speed of light what would happen when you switched the headlights on ...?

entwisi

13-03-2006 05:03

Re: if a car

there is no answer to this question unfortunately(infinite energy required for your car to reach 'c' [1]m/s),

If you were close to c, effectively the wavelength of the reflected light would be doppler shifted well into UV so you wouldn't 'see' anything. in the UV spectrum things would appear rotated.

I don't suppose this post goes any way to dispelling teh idea I'm a geek now does it?

[1] c is 3x10^8m/s and is defined as a constant(teh speed of light in a vacuum)

WillowTheWhisp

13-03-2006 08:28

Re: if a car

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

I don't suppose this post goes any way to dispelling teh idea I'm a geek now does it?

:D Nope :D

MUMMIBOO

13-03-2006 09:06

Re: if a car

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

Thanks entwisi that just went right over my head.:D

entwisi

13-03-2006 09:21

Re: if a car

OK, heres a nice article with pictures

http://www.itp.uni-hannover.de/~drag...ge/stone1e.htm

Bit 'involved' if you read the words but looking at the pictures you will get an idea how stuff would get distorted

garinda

13-03-2006 11:30

Re: if a car

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

if a car was to travel at the speed of light what would happen when you switched the headlights on ...?

You'd lose your licence, don't try it.:D

Neil	13-03-2006 11:43

Re: if a car

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

You'd lose your licence, don't try it.:D

How, Gatso's are not fast enough. They tested one on Top Gear, I think you had to do 160 or 170mph before it could not get you.

entwisi

13-03-2006 12:04

Re: if a car

Thats only gatsos though, forward facing lasers are good into 300mph. above that its pretty clear that you are speeding and the coppers say so is enough. They don't have to give an exact speed.

chav1

13-03-2006 15:48

Re: if a car

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

Thats only gatsos though, forward facing lasers are good into 300mph. above that its pretty clear that you are speeding and the coppers say so is enough. They don't have to give an exact speed.

gotta catch me first :D

yerself

13-03-2006 17:36

Re: if a car

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

if a car was to travel at the speed of light what would happen when you switched the headlights on ...?

You'd meet yourself coming back.

Margaret Pilkington

13-03-2006 20:57

Re: if a car

The light of the headlights would light up your posterior! :)

Madhatter

13-03-2006 21:09

Re: if a car

What would happen? you'd crash of course, you wouldn't be able to see where you was going, as your travelling at the same speed as the light coming off the bulbs you'd be there before the light, therefore it would be dark, and you'd crash.

entwisi

14-03-2006 09:15

Re: if a car

Ah but you miss Einsteins theory of Relativity states that light must still travel at the same speed in all frames of reference so the light would leave you the same, the major problem would be in viewing the reflected light due to the doppler shift taking the 'visible' light and shifting it into UV. So you 'could' see if you were able to 'see' in the UV spectrum.

However as teh link Iposted earlier shows what you 'see' would be surreal to say teh least.

WillowTheWhisp

14-03-2006 13:30

Re: if a car

You'd still crash because you'd be travelling faster than the light coming towards you from other vehicles, stationary objects etc (which is how we see things) so you wouldn't see them and you'd crash into them.

shakermaker

14-03-2006 13:32

Re: if a car

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

if a car was to travel at the speed of light what would happen when you switched the headlights on ...?

Another fan of Brainiac:Science Abuse, then?
Jon Tickle's a legend...

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