In any circular cyclotron, how can the proton projectiles approach each other at more than 50% of the speed of light without exceeding the speed of light relative to each other?
Asked
Active
Viewed 79 times
1 Answers
1
Good question! Before Einstein came along if you had two particles traveling traveling towards each other at about 300,000 km/s each, then we might indeed think that the other particle is traveling twice as fast as light does. Einstein showed that the speed of light in empty space is always the same, but space and time are not. They are relative. If we are travelling at different speeds, you and I will not agree on how large things are or how fast clocks tick but we will agree on the speed of light. So for those two protons, they will see that time has slowed down and distances have shortened in such a way that they will never measure themselves or the other proton as going faster than the speed of light.
Please also see this related question:
Accelerating particles to speeds infinitesimally close to the speed of light?
John
- 2,846