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My take on it would be that Light would travel faster through water. Alcohol tends to be slightly more viscous. Remember that all things would have to be equal, temperature, pressure of air, the amount of air in the liquid, angle of light, etc. And (I'm guessing here) the difference would minimal.
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Humm..... not sure that the reasoning above is correct. The speed of light in a vacuum is constant (c) and the fastest light can travel. When light passes through matter it slows and to know how much you really need to know the index of refraction and temperature of the substance it is passing through. The index of refraction of water is about 1.33, so the speed of light in water is (c/1.33). The index of refraction of Ethanol is 1.36 so the speed of light in Ethanol is (c/1.36). This light moves slower in Ethanol than water if both are at the same temperature.
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThere have been several questions recently along these lines, and in my opinion some of the answers are misleading. The fundamental physics of the situation are that light has its maximum speed C in a vacuum (or outer space if you like), and in any other medium it is slower. The degree of slowing can be stated in terms of the Refractive Index, which also relates to the degree of bending of the incident light when it moves across a boundary between two materials. Water has a RI of 1.33, which means the speed of light in water is C/1.33. Glass varies in composition, but generally the RI is about 1.5 for ordinary glass but some heavy types of glass have a higher RI. Therefore light travels faster in water than in glass.
The other thing to remember is that whilst in a vacuum all wavelengths of light (or any other EM radiation) travel at the same speed, in a medium such as glass this is not so and the shorter the wavelength the higher the RI. This explains for example the splitting of white light into colors by a glass prism, and of course the rainbow.
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoIt travels slower in glass than in vacuum but faster than in some other materials.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe velocity of light is greater in air.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThey travel quicker in air.
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What do light waves travel best through?
Light waves travel fastest through vacuum, at nearly 30 million meters per second. Light travels more slowly through other substances such as air and water, and can be absorbed.
Can light travel through liquid?
well that is a very complicated question and you can get very detailed on both sides of te argument but i would say no because float would mean it would float on air or another substance on to substance and it always travels the same way at the speed light and is not affected by gravity on earth or not gravvity in space
What goes through water but does not get wet?
Light
How are light and sound alike?
Sound and light are VERY Different. They are both waves... But light can travel through a vacuum and sound requires a medium (matter... Ex. air or water) to travel through. Also they are 2 different kinds of waves (Light~ Transverse, and Sound~ Longitudinal) Though there are some similarities. Both are waves. Therefore they have wavelengths, frequencies, amplitudes, and speeds. They both can be measured also.
Can you list ten things that reflect light?
Glass,water,clouds,plastic,glasses,paper,tea,beaker,liquid crystal,ozone
Does sound travel quicker through air or water?
through air.
What color water does light travel through fastest?
According to the light spectrum, water should travel through a more violet coloured water the fastest. The speed of light through a medium is not governed by its wavelength, so colour is not a factor.
What substance can light shine through?
Light can travel through air, water, glass, and any transparent material.
Does sound or light travel faster through water?
Light travels much faster than sound, through wood.
Do methylated spirits travel through filter paper quicker than water?
yes methylated spirits goes through filter paper faster than water
What things can light and sound travel through?
sound and light can travel through sound air solids water liquids light wiers lightbubs extentions etc.
How does light travel through water?
because water is clear so it can go through until it is to deep
Do light waves travel faster through air than it does through water?
yes
What do light waves travel more through when they enter water?
they travel faster. Light waves travel more QUICKLY as they enter water. ^^ whoever done this;; thanks! i really needed the answer....
Does light travel faster in diamond or water?
Light travels slower through denser media, so it travels faster through water than through a diamond.
How are electromagnetic (or light) waves different from water and sound waves?
Light waves and electromagnetic waves can travel through empty space. Water waves can only travel through matter. Hope this helped!
How are electromagnetic or light waves different from water and sound waves?
Light waves and electromagnetic waves can travel through empty space. Water waves can only travel through matter. Hope this helped!
