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Old 22-08-2009, 12:03 PM
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sjastro
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Quote:
Thanks for the detailed explanation guys, I pretty much get it (and thought it was too easy) but it WASN'T what I wanted to hear. I hate the whole "speed of light" speed limit deal. I know the "Space-Time" thing allows for it but I see that as cheating.
It's not cheating it's based on observation. People have been measuring the speed of light since the 17th century and is found to be the same irrespective if the source is approaching or receding us.
Special relativity provides the explanation.

Quote:
I have another possibly stupid question if you guys don't mind. And that is if you could actually be in one of the detectors when a collision occured, assuming it was completely dark, is there enough energy released that would allow you to see anything ? Like maybe a very tiny sparkle or something similar. I don't mean from high speed particles hitting the optic nerve/retina, or whatever happens to the astronauts when they see flashes, I mean light.
An interesting question. I wouldn't personally like to find out given that Gamma and X-rays are a byproduct of the collisions but the particles produced in the collisions will have energies of similar magnitude to cosmic radiation.

I find when I am taking dark frames for my CCD in my humble refrigerator, I have noticed my CCD (and frig) are under constant bombardment. The dark frames are littered with cosmic ray hits.

Since I don't directly perceive these hits myself I suppose the same principle may apply at a detector.

Steven
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