Does the electric force travel faster than the speed of light?

Question

I know that most things (i.e. everything) do not travel faster than the speed of light, but suppose there was a positively charged object in one region of the universe, and another charged object at another region very far away (many light years).... Now suppose the positively charged object were to split in two (perhaps a collision with a comet?) with each half containing half the charge of the original, and each half being separated a considerable distance. How long would it take for the charged object at the other side of the universe to "feel" the difference in the electric force? Would it be instantaneous, or would the influence travel no faster than the speed of light. Of course I am assuming that the range of influence of the electric force is infinite.

Answer 1

Ok, correct answers, mostly. Electric field propagates as electromagnetic waves of which light is a common example.  It travels at c.

But, just to clear up the other thing introduced: Some things do go faster than c.  What you can't do is take an object with mass traveling at less than c & accelerate it to more than c, as this would need infinite energy.  If your search a bit, you'll find info on things that go faster than c.  If you watch them closely they'lll appear to go backwards.

Answer 2

The impulse would travel at the speed of light, after all, it's just another electromagnetic wave.

Answer 3

NOTHING can travel faster than the speed of light. Not even light can travel faster than the speed of light. Or can it, after all, it is what defines the definition...

Anyway, no, it would not travel faster than the speed of light...

Answer 4

Nothing can travel at velocity > c. Electric fields move at the velocity of c. Therefore, it would take some time for a charge to influence another charged particle.