MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: Please tell me how is light accelerated

Date: Wed May 31 19:19:40 2000
Posted By: Steve Guch, Post-doc/Fellow, Physics (Electro-Optics/Lasers), Litton Systems, Inc., Laser Systems Division
Area of science: Physics
ID: 958408672.Ph
Message:

Noel, the simplest way to tell you how light is accelerated is to state 
that it really isn't.

Light is electromagnetic energy and, as far as anybody knows, it moves at 
the speed of -- well -- light, independent of what frame of reference it's 
observed in.  It doesn't matter whether it's laser light or light from a 
lamp or from the sun.  And it doesn't matter whether it's looked at as 
electromagnetic waves or a collection of photon particles -- it's all the 
same and moves at about 186,000 miles per second, or about 300,000 
kilometers per second.

The different colors of light all move at the same speed, but just differ 
in their wavelength (or frequency, which is proportional to the inverse of 
the wavelength).

Hope this helps!

Steve Guch


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