I'm sure this isn't profound but I'd like to know the answer.
If two cars are going 55 MPH in opposite directions they are going 110 MPH relative to each other. In other words after an hour they will be 55 miles from their starting point and 110 miles from each other. Please no questions about what about when you go through a town etc /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. This is abstract.
Now if two space ships are going .8 C (the speed of light) towards each other are they approaching each other at 1.6 C ?
Question 2
If you are in a vehicle going 100 MPH and you shoot a projectile with a velocity that you observe to be 100 MPH does an outside observer see a projectile going at 200 MPH?
Most of you probably can guess the next question what do the afore mentioned ships observe (as well as an outside observer) if one shoots a laser at the other. BTW this is a low power laser not an opening salvo in a battle /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
If two cars are going 55 MPH in opposite directions they are going 110 MPH relative to each other. In other words after an hour they will be 55 miles from their starting point and 110 miles from each other. Please no questions about what about when you go through a town etc /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. This is abstract.
Now if two space ships are going .8 C (the speed of light) towards each other are they approaching each other at 1.6 C ?
Question 2
If you are in a vehicle going 100 MPH and you shoot a projectile with a velocity that you observe to be 100 MPH does an outside observer see a projectile going at 200 MPH?
Most of you probably can guess the next question what do the afore mentioned ships observe (as well as an outside observer) if one shoots a laser at the other. BTW this is a low power laser not an opening salvo in a battle /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif