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The speed of light in a medium is defined by its refractive index. Light travels slower when there is a high refractive index.
Example:
Water has a refractive index of roughly 1.5, air is roughly 1. The speed of light in air is 300000000m/s in water is is 2000000000
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThat's a real good question, recently an experiment slowed it to walking pace under very strict conditions. Visit Newscientist website.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThe speed of light in air is about 299,792,458 m/s.
The speed of sound in dry air is about 343 m/s.
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If the index of refraction of a medium is 1.4 determine the speed of light in that medium?
Speed of light in air (which has an index of refraction of 1) is 3 * 10^8 m/s. So divide the speed of light by the index of refraction of the new medium to obtain the speed of light in that medium. Hope I helped!!
When light travels from air into glass the wave speed?
Its speed would decrease upon moving from a less dense to a more dense medium
Is speed of light uniform or not?
The speed of light in a vacuum is constant everywhere. The speed of light in a particular medium depends on what the medium is. It moves slower in air than in a vacuum, and slower in water than in air.
Why is the speed of the different colors of light in air the same?
All wavelengths are the same physical phenomenon ... electromagnetic radiation ... whose speed depends on the electrical properties of the medium in which it is propagating. Why would you think that they should travel at different speeds ?
Does the wavelength and frequency of light changes when it enters glass from air?
Nothing. The speed changes. We live in a universe where electromagnetic waves change frequency if they can't change speed (and in a vacuum they can't), and only change speed if they enter another medium like glass.
Compare the speed of light to the speed of sound?
Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.
If the index of refraction of a medium is 1.4 determine the speed of light in that medium?
Speed of light in air (which has an index of refraction of 1) is 3 * 10^8 m/s. So divide the speed of light by the index of refraction of the new medium to obtain the speed of light in that medium. Hope I helped!!
Why is the speed of sound slower then the speed of light?
The sound needs a medium to be transported. Without that medium (vacuum) there is no sound. The sound is blocked by air mulecules. The light does not need a medium.
Why is it important to explain the speed of light together with the medium in which the light travels?
The speed of light is dependent on the medium it travels through. Light travels fastest in a vacuum than in water or air.
How can the speed of a light wave be changed?
If you shine light through a different medium, its speed will change. It's faster in a vacuum than in air, which is faster than in a denser gas, etc.
Does light speed up or slow down when it leaves water into the air?
The speed of light in air is almost but not quite the same as its speed in vacuum,whereas its speed in water is about 25% less.So when light passes from air into water, its speed drops by about 25% .
When light travels from air into glass the wave speed?
Its speed would decrease upon moving from a less dense to a more dense medium
Is speed of light uniform or not?
The speed of light in a vacuum is constant everywhere. The speed of light in a particular medium depends on what the medium is. It moves slower in air than in a vacuum, and slower in water than in air.
Why does the light ray bend as it passes from the air to glass or from glass to air?
When light travels, it goes through a substance called a medium which could be anything such as air, water, or glass. Different mediums have different contents within themselves, such as its density, thus giving themselves different "Angles of Incidences". As it passes from one medium to another, the light ray's speed and wavelength are changed, so it'll either travel faster or slower than the previous speed of light. The angle will be given to the ray based on the medium's Angle of Incidence as mentioned before.
Where does refraction occur?
Refraction occurs because waves move at different speeds in different bodies. Because a wave hits the other medium at an angle, part of the wave changes speed earlier than the rest, turning the waves. this is most obvious with light waves in water, but it happens with all types of waves in any change of medium.
Why is the speed of the different colors of light in air the same?
All wavelengths are the same physical phenomenon ... electromagnetic radiation ... whose speed depends on the electrical properties of the medium in which it is propagating. Why would you think that they should travel at different speeds ?
Is speed of light all different speeds?
As long as it stays in one medium (substance), the speed of all wavelengths of visible light is very close to the same number. It only changes when the light crosses into a different substance, like going from air into water, or from glass into jello.
