what happen with light where it goes?
2006-07-17 11:04:08 · 8 answers · asked by criss 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
it just keeps going and going until eventually it comes back from the other side of the universe but by then you be lucky if one photon makes it back to earth because of the inverse square law principle of uncertainty
2006-07-17 11:50:38 · answer #1 · answered by duhman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Special Relativity is based on 2 postulates, one of which says the light travel with a constant speed with respect to all observers.
Taking into account the GR ( space is curved by gravity), the answer is light follows the geodesics (straight line in flat space) with the same constant speed. If there is an obstacle along its path, the light could undergo reflection, refraction or absorption. Otherwise will keep going following the geometry of the space. This is true for a single photon. Inverse square law applies to a beam of light rays from a point source.
2006-07-17 19:05:25 · answer #2 · answered by cho 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you were to ride a photon (maybe as einstein variant of maxwells demon) you would see that it always only travels in straight lines.
Now you and I know that gravity causes the traversed path to be a curve.. but thats because gravity bends what a straight line is.
So the question isnt what shape of path the light takes, but what the sum of deformations of straight lines in the universe is.
If you shoot a laser off in one direction... and there are no deformations of straight line, immobile viewer... then some (potentially astronomically :P long ) time later it should come from behind, and hit the emitter in the back.
The Mr. tompkins series arent bad books to check out.
2006-07-17 18:16:18 · answer #3 · answered by Curly 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I remember correctly, it dissipates as it goes along. The inverse square law for the propagation of light. Eventually it probably transforms into some other form of energy.
2006-07-17 18:41:57 · answer #4 · answered by ABC X 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Light does not exist unless there is matter for it to reflect off of.
2006-07-17 18:07:46 · answer #5 · answered by chris42050 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
light keeps traveling until it can't go any further. When there is no way it can't go anywhere...
2006-07-17 18:12:17 · answer #6 · answered by StarShine G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it travel on a straight line
2006-07-17 18:09:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it bounces off of stuff i think
2006-07-17 18:16:21 · answer #8 · answered by Nick 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋