@S1-A.ARPA:host.MIT-MC.ARPA (05/10/85)
From: Richard B. August <AUGUST@JPL-VLSI.ARPA> >From: crash!bnw@SDCSVAX.ARPA >Date: Thu, 9 May 85 10:38:17 PDT >To: Space-Enthusiasts@MIT-MC >Subject: Re: Speed Of Light (Jeff Harrow) > > I've seen this kind of problem before. It stems, in part, from the >problem of mounting a machine gun on a jet that flies faster than the muzzle >velocity of the gun. > The simplest way to explain this is that the speed of light (C) is an >absolute constant that is relative to the universe itself and not conditioned >by the contents of the universe. The universe has rules, and you can't break >the rules by going faster. > /Bruce N. Wheelock/ > arpanet: crash!bnw@ucsd > uucp: {ihnp4, cbosgd, sdcsvax, noscvax}!crash!bnw When you mention "...the problem of mounting a machine gun on a jet that flies faster than the muzzle velocity of the gun" are you alluding to the phenomenon of the expelled projectile loosing velocity after leaving the muzzle? This is actually a result of atmospheric drag causing the projectile to loose energy. As we learned at Pensacola, FL "...after firing a short burst...pull up!" You also mention that "The universe has rules, and you can't break the rules by going faster". This assumes that we know all the rules. Regards, Richard ------