How fast can you go ?

Question

Using the special theory of relativity, if there was a mass of 10 kg being acted upon by a constant force of 100 N what is the maximum speed it would obtain to 3 significant figures.

Answer 1

Under a constant force, it would continue to accelerate toward the speed of light. It would never get there, but it would approach it. It's acceleration would slowly decrease as it approached the speed of light, but it would never stop getting faster by smaller and smaller fractions of the speed of light. If you let it go forever, it would get infinitessmily close to the speed of light.

Answer 2

You are wrong.  It would get close to the speed of light.  

Maybe you wish to modify the problem to add some drag in space (say one H atom per meter squared) but the mass will still accelerate to very close to the speed of light unless you modify the problem to limit the time that the force acts.

Why would you say "It won't get anywhere near the speed of light"?  Please take a physics course.

-Fred

Answer 3

you would go faster and faster until you got close to the speed of light. Then relativistic mass increase would slow down your acceleration more and more, the closer you got to c.

You would approach c asmitotically (have no idea how to spell that), always getting closer, but never getting there.

Answer 4

Velocity is a dimension relative to speed. How fast does it take to process a thought within the mind, If a computer can process information as fast or faster than the mind you can only go as fast as your limitations. If your question is in references to a projectile then the speed is restricted to the design and acceleration. It is possible to travel faster than the speed of light. Light in its' self is only a visual recording. The Universe is operational via process of Sinko-phenomena by which all the matter within is governed (controlled). Communications via radio waves are exampled by a radio tuning device where-bye we can be in one location and dial in at random transmitters around the world which are limited only by our speed of moving the tuner. A radio wave is a device and logic is firm in the possible invention of a device to transport visible matter by means of altering the state of matter. Example: water flows faster than ice. The speed of light is only a dimension movement (velocity). Infinity is the 10th dimension and Time is the 9th. In Time we will surpass the speed of light into the state of infinity.

Answer 5

Eventually it could reach 99.9 percent of the speed of light.  The limiting factor here is not the actual speed but your stipulation of 3 significant figures.  As the mass increases due to relativistic effects the rate of acceleration slows down because the 100N is proportionally less compared to the mass being moved.  But if no other force is involved (friction, gravity, and so on) the mass will continue to accelerate forever with smaller and smaller increases in acceleration and velocity.

Answer 6

The speed of light (c=3*10^8 m/s)