Suppose you're traveling on a space ship at 9/10 the speed of light (.9c). You have a high-powered rifle that shoots bullets at the same speed. Suppose you shoot the bullet perpendicular to your direction of travel.

It appears that the bullet would travel at a 45-degree angle (northeast, if the ship is traveling north and the bullet is shot eastward), at about 1.2728c which is faster than light. Why is this wrong, and what would the actual speed and direction be?

when the bullet is fired a force acts on the ship which also makes it change its motion so actually a speed greater than c is not reached but a speed near it is the speed of the bullet. I think.

Posted by gaurav the great on 2005-07-09 15:41:21