![]() |
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
|
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Light seems to slow down because the different wavelengths travel at slightly different speeds. When a beam white light (which consists of all colors/wavelengths of visible light) goes from a thin medium to a thick medium (such as from air to water), the faster wavelengths of light seem to have a longer distance to travel, as they are on the outside of the angle of refraction. The slower wavelenghts are on the inside of the turn, and so seem to travel a shorter distance. This gives the appearance of the light slowing down, when in actuality, it does not. I forget the exact mathematical proof that shows that the light did not slow down any.
|
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
[ February 26, 2003, 21:18: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ] |
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
EDIT: Yeah, that 'changing medium' thing - its called the 'refractive index'.... [ February 26, 2003, 21:21: Message edited by: rdouglass ] |
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
Let me post somthing to light it up a little. http://mandyfanatic.com/pics/new7.jpg |
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
|
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
EDIT: Yeah, that 'changing medium' thing - its called the 'refractive index'....</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It was in my physics book Last year, which is generally accepted as the best physics text book out there. Unfortunately, I only have volume one of that book now, so I can't look it up to relate it to you. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif It is all about reference frames. From our reference frame, the light appears to slow down when going into a thicker medium. But from the reference frame of the light, it has not decreased in speed at all. That is what matters more. Our perception is inherently flawed anyways. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif |
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
|
Re: OT: Alien Contact
I don't know exactly about the SoL thing but there are many pages out there. Try this one:
http://www.what-is-the-speed-of-ligh...ive-index.html |
Re: OT: Alien Contact
Quote:
The initial wavefront moving thorugh the material goes right through at the speed of light. The interference from the secondary EM waves generated by the atoms jostled by the main wave adds up to produce a new wave whos peaks and valleys change position slower than you'd expect. Look at standing waves on a rope as a slowed down example. You start waving the rope (attached to a wall or a friend on the other side) You see a succession of waves travel down the rope, hit the wall, and then reflect back, and start to interfere with the later waves you made. When the two waves interfere in the rope, the total result is a wave that looks like it isn't moving at all. The energy is still moving along at the normal speed, but the interference causes the illusion of slower (or faster (!)) velocities. Given appropriate conditions, you can actually make the wave peaks appear to "travel" faster than C, but the far side of the apparatus will not light up until enough time has passed for a beam at speed C to travel the length of the apparatus. |
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:32 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©1999 - 2025, Shrapnel Games, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.