🚀 go-pugleaf

John M. Aldrich wrote:
> 
> The whole point of relativity is that every single object in the
> universe is stationary with respect to itself, and considers itself to
> be operating at "normal" time.  If that object accelerates (in any
> direction), it changes its state relative to other objects, but NOT TO
> ITSELF.  If you were travelling at .9999 c relative to me, to you it
> would still appear that you were stationary, but everything else would
> appear to be moving past you at near the speed of light.  To me it would
> appear that you were moving at near the speed of light.
> 
> In fact, the asymptotic nature of the relativity equations makes it
> obvious that even if you were travelling at .9999 c, applying a given
> amount of acceleration would still seem to you as if it produced the
> same change in speed as if you were not moving at all.  You would feel
> the same inertia, and would observe no difference between accelerating
> from .9999 c or .0001 c.  The reason for this is that at any speed, a
> given amount of thrust produces the same change in MOMENTUM, even though
> it may not produce the same change in velocity.
> 
> This entire planet could be moving at .9999 c right now and we would
> never know it.  In this universe, there is no such thing as
> "stationary," except from a purely subjective point of view.  The
> "secret" is that there is  no secret.  :)
> 


Wait....Suppose the Earth (or any object) IS traveling at .9999c.  As
you say, we would never know it.   BUT, if a jet is flying around the
Earth toward the direction that the Earth is traveling through space,
would the jet be doing the theoretically impossible??  Traveling FASTER
than light??  Could this happen??

A better example...accelerate a gun to .9999c.  Then fire the gun...does
the bullet break the light speed limitation (relative to a "stationary"
observer)???

Mike S.