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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2756682 No.2756682 [Reply] [Original]

Serious question /g/.
Would this work?
If not, why?

>> No.2756686

>/g/

>> No.2756702

Why doesn't light from a flashlight build up when you cup your hands over it?

>> No.2756713

The amount of energy needed to stop that ship would be enough to destroy the planet you'd be aiming your laser at anyway.

>> No.2756715
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2756715

mfw OP has not heard of theory of relativity

>> No.2756724

Frames of reference buddy and physics101. The light from the headlights are still going at light speed, much to the likes of you

>> No.2756734

Consider an observer on earth. According to him the incoming light should be blue shifted. This frequency shift can be calculated f/f0 = sqrt ((1+beta) / (1-beta)).
Now, the energy of a photon is linear in the frequency, so the energy per photon should be changed by that factor. Now, note also that the number of photons per second is a frequency, which should also undergo doppler shift.
Energy per second should therefore be changed by sqrt ((1+beta)/(1-beta))^2 = (1+beta)/(1-beta). Inserting beta=1/3 gives that the power of a laser should increase with a factor 2.
I'm not sure about my calculations, so please some feedback. Also note that stopping the spaceship is completely irrelevant afaik

>> No.2756738

no... the light still travels at c relative to the spaceship... and c relative to the earth. The flow of time is altered to compensate. Of course we describe it this way because of our perspective.

>> No.2756813

>>2756682
you would still be going at .99c, but the space through which the light was going would shrink so that the speed of light is maintained

>> No.2756827

>>2756702
I actually want to know why it doesn't. Yes, I'm new.

>> No.2758637

bump for truth

>> No.2758660

yea that could work
its not gonna destroy earth though

>> No.2758668

You realise that at .99C your ship could destroy the earth from the energy it would have?

>> No.2758720

Dude, stop it, at near light speed you could destroy solar system.
Am reporting this thread for illegal planetary violation hazard problem.

>> No.2758949

The light wouldn't "build up". It would leave the spaceship at the speed of light, 300,000,000m/s. And would reach the earth traveling at the speed of light also.

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