According to the theory of special relativity, as formulated by Albert Einstein, the speed of light in a vacuum, denoted by 'c,' is an absolute speed limit in the universe. This means that no object with mass can reach or exceed the speed of light.
There are several fundamental reasons why massive objects cannot attain the speed of light:
Increasing mass: As an object with mass approaches the speed of light, its relativistic mass increases significantly. The faster it goes, the more energy is required to accelerate it further, and its mass effectively increases. As the speed of light is approached, the required energy and thus the mass of the object become infinite. This means that it would take an infinite amount of energy to accelerate a massive object to the speed of light, which is not physically achievable.
Time dilation: As an object with mass approaches the speed of light, time dilation occurs. Time slows down for the moving object relative to a stationary observer. At the speed of light, time dilation would be infinite, which means time would stop entirely for the object. This presents a logical inconsistency and is another indication that massive objects cannot attain the speed of light.
Relativistic effects: As an object moves at high speeds, relativistic effects become more prominent. Length contraction occurs in the direction of motion, and time dilation takes place. These effects make it increasingly difficult to reach the speed of light, let alone surpass it.
Infinite energy requirement: As an object with mass approaches the speed of light, its kinetic energy increases rapidly. To reach the speed of light, an infinite amount of energy would be required. Since we cannot practically generate infinite energy, it is physically impossible for a massive object to attain the speed of light.
While massless particles, like photons, can travel at the speed of light in a vacuum, objects with mass are subject to the limitations imposed by special relativity. As a result, nothing with mass can ever reach or exceed the cosmic speed limit of the universe, which is the speed of light (approximately 299,792,458 meters per second).