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Speed of light

Asked Mar 5, 2007, 03:01 AM — 37 Answers
Why can't we overtake the speed of light

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worthbeads's Avatar
worthbeads Posts: 569, Reputation: 280
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#31

Mar 6, 2007, 04:18 PM
I have an interesting question. Assume you are in a room covered in mirrors (all walls, floor, ceiling). You yourself are covered in a material that is 100% reflective (the mirrors are also 100% reflective). In the perfectly reflective room, you strike a match. Assuming your body, the match, and the mirrors do not absorb light and only reflect it, would the room stay lit long after the match went out? Would there be a limit on how bright it would be inside the room?
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Capuchin's Avatar
Capuchin Posts: 5,319, Reputation: 3601
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#32

Mar 6, 2007, 10:27 PM
Your eyes would absorb photons in order to see them, so, do you want to go into "if you light a match in a perfectly mirrored room, but nobody is there to see it, is it lit up"? :P

Also, any gas in the room would also attenuate the light fairly quickly.
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worthbeads's Avatar
worthbeads Posts: 569, Reputation: 280
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#33

Mar 7, 2007, 05:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by worthbeads
I have an interesting question. Assume you are in a room covered in mirrors (all walls, floor, ceiling). You yourself are covered in a material that is 100% reflective (the mirrors are also 100% reflective). In the perfectly reflective room, you strike a match. Assuming your body, the match, and the mirrors do not absorb light and only reflect it, would the room stay lit long after the match went out? Would there be a limit on how bright it would be inside the room?
I am aware eyes absorb light. Just assume no person is in the room.
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Capuchin's Avatar
Capuchin Posts: 5,319, Reputation: 3601
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#34

Mar 7, 2007, 10:25 PM
Okay well the atmosphere in the room absorbs it then, if you had perfect vacuum, then the brightness in the room would be proportional to the amount of time you left the match lit for as long as forever.
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worthbeads's Avatar
worthbeads Posts: 569, Reputation: 280
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#35

Mar 10, 2007, 07:03 AM
Would it keep getting brighter and brighter, with no limit?
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Capuchin's Avatar
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#36

Mar 10, 2007, 08:00 AM
Until the fire runs out of fuel.
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johnzule Posts: 18, Reputation: 1
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#37

Mar 16, 2007, 01:56 AM
Pardon if this is old news...

blsb.html

Social Ecology Eclectic : Light exceeds its own speed limit, or does it?
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Capuchin's Avatar
Capuchin Posts: 5,319, Reputation: 3601
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#38

Mar 16, 2007, 01:59 AM
Yes, I did mention this earlier in the thread. There is no evidence that information can be transferred faster than light using this method.
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