Final answer:
The constant speed of light in a vacuum has three consequences: time dilation, length contraction, and mass increase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The constant speed of light in a vacuum has three consequences: time dilation, length contraction, and mass increase.
The constant speed of light in a vacuum (c = 3.00 x 10^8 m/s) has several consequences:
- Time dilation: As an object approaches the speed of light, time slows down for that object relative to a stationary observer. This phenomenon is explained by Einstein's theory of relativity.
- Length contraction: When an object moves at a significant fraction of the speed of light, it appears shorter in the direction of its motion as observed by a stationary observer.
- Mass increase: According to the theory of relativity, as an object moves faster, its effective mass increases. This is known as relativistic mass increase.