What travels faster through the same medium red light or violet light?

Answer 1

Red light and violet light travel at the same speed in a vacuum, however, they travel at different speeds relative to each other when traveling through any medium other than a vacuum.

In most media, violet light has a higher index of refraction (usually denoted with the letter n) than red light. The higher the index of refraction, the slower the light goes compared to its speed in a vacuum. This relationship is governed by the following equation: v = c/n where v is the speed of light in a particular medium, n is the index of refraction of light in that medium, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum. Since red light has a smaller n than violet light in most media, red light travels faster than violet light in most media.

The index of refraction is determined by solving Maxwell's equations for a particular frequency and a particular medium using specific boundary conditions.

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Answer 2

In a vacuum, there is no difference in speed. In different materials, the "multiplier" is different. For some glass, violet might have an index of refraction of 1.66, while for red light the index of refraction might be 1.61. This means that red light travels 1.66 / 1.61 times, or 1.03 times faster than violet light, in that glass.

Answer 3

Red light travels faster than violet light in the same medium. Since the refractive index of the medium is the ratio of the speed of light in free space to that in the medium, the refractive index of the material will be more for the violet light than that for red light.

Answer 4

In a vacuum, all electromagnetic radiation (infra-red, light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays) travel at the speed of light, which is constant.

In matter, the speed of different colors of light depends on the material; it is called dispersion. Such as glass (lenses and prisms) the shorter wavelength light (violet) is bent more than longer wavelength light (red), so the speed of violet light is less than red light

Answer 5

Red light generally travels faster in materials such as glass.

Refer to the question.

What_color_of_light_has_the_highest_velocity

Answer 6

It doesn't; at least, not in a vacuum. All wavelengths of light travel at the same speed in a vacuum.

Answer 7

All colors/wavelengths/frequencies of light have the same speed in non-dispersive media

such as vacuum or air.

Answer 8

All wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation travel at the same speed.

In a vacuum, that's "the speed of light," or about 300,000 km/second.