The Speed of Light in Glass
How does light speed up after leaving glass or water? What do light and the President of the United States have in common? Tweet it - http://bit.ly/pK7A3A Facebook it - http://on.fb.me/q7BQbz...
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We all know that light bends when it travels through glass, water, or other transparentmaterial - that's how a microscope, lighthouse and spectacles work!And you might even know that light bends because it travels slower through glass or water thanthrough air - but why does light slow down? And how does it speed up again when it comesout on the other side? There's nothing there to give it a push!Well, if you think light is a wave, it's easy to explain - electromagnetic waves simplytravel slower through glass than through air. So the wave crests are closer to each other,but the light still oscillates the same number of times per second - it stays the same color.When the wave hits the air again, its color stays the same, while its crests spread o...
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We all know that light bends when it travels through glass, water, or other transparentmaterial - that's how a microscope, lighthouse and spectacles work!And you might even know that light bends because it travels slower through glass or water thanthrough air - but why does light slow down? And how does it speed up again when it comesout on the other side? There's nothing there to give it a push!Well, if you think light is a wave, it's easy to explain - electromagnetic waves simplytravel slower through glass than through air. So the wave crests are closer to each other,but the light still oscillates the same number of times per second - it stays the same color.When the wave hits the air again, its color stays the same, while its crests spread o...
