I assume you mean , theoretical.
as in "C is still the theoretical maximum speed".
the article says that the speed was measured as electrons
changed orbital distance from the center of orbit.
which in this case limits the speed at which an electron can orbit due to the fact that there is only so much space between
an electron and its center of orbit.
the further in to the center of orbit an electron moves
the faster its orbital speed becomes.
p=mv
as an electron experiences a energy loss or charge depletion it moves closer in to the center of orbit.
and the distance at which it can move inwards limits the speed at which it can orbit before it collides with its center mass.
I remember an experiment where energy was given to atoms
that caused the atoms electrons to greatly expand outward from the center , so physically / classically the opposite would also be true.
draining / removing energy from an atom causes the electrons of an atom to orbit closer to their centers of orbit.
this is why objects become brittle as they get colder ,the
bond between the atoms is weakened.
so the experiment is limited to the distance at which the
electrons can orbit before colliding with the nucleus of the atom.
the problem with removing energy from atoms to test the
theoretical speed limit of the Universe is that the orbital velocity of the electrons increase as they move in closer to the center proportionate to p=mv and the attraction between the charges of the electron and the nucleus , the only way to further increase the electrons speed would be to somehow drain mass from the nucleus of the atom and at the same time drain mass from the electron thereby increasing the distance between the surface of the electron and the surface of the nucleus and the attraction between the two masses remain intact relevant to the two masses involved.
at that point if the charge of the electron can be further depleted then the overall mass of the electron is lowered
and the electron would be forced into a closer orbit due to its momentum p=mv and the attraction between the electron and the nucleus thereby temporarily gaining orbital velocity before the atom stabilizes the charges between the two.
the atom stabilizes charges and the electron receives an
amount of charge from the nucleus.
the electron then moves further out in its orbit but not as far
out as it was initially but proportionate to its new mass and its current momentum and the attraction between the electron and the nucleus.
resulting in
a new higher velocity of the electron
a new closer orbit of the electron
a new lowered charge of the nucleus.
and a new lowered charge of the electron.
repeating these steps should add speed to the electron every time.
or something like that.
gee , my brain is really hurting right now.
but how can you remove mass from both the electron and nucleus
at the same time?
of course the above description makes too much classical
sense and has no fantasy elements involved so today's science will disapprove.
and of course the most important things are that R2 and Neohippy will correct my grammar , orac will rant and rave about religion, Bill will Dear Readers me , and Redenuer will
somewhat agree with me while disagreeing.
but that's just today's social science in action.
you gotta love it.
it's freedom in action.
