2006-07-21 14:01:34 · 5 answers · asked by what 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
I am not exactly sure what is meant by "light battery".
If the inside of the hollow sphere was perfectly, 100%, reflective and then some initial amount of light was shown inside the ball, it would continue to reflect back and form inside the ball forever.
You could then, in theory, figure out some way to extract that energy from the light inside the ball in order to power something else (making a light battery I suppose, light as in photons and EM radiation not as in "not heavy").
This of course makes the key assumption that the inside is 100% reflective. In reality, this is impossible. If the insides are anything less than perfectly reflective, the light will, in short order, be turned into heat and absorbed into the walls of the container.
2006-07-21 15:05:50 · answer #1 · answered by mrjeffy321 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In theory this is true, but there are some practical problems. First of all, no material exists that is 100% reflective. Second, you have to get light into the sphere. This requires a hole of some sort. Since the speed of light is so high, by the time you sealed the hole, almost all of the light would escape through it. Sorry to blow a hole in your idea (pun intended).
2006-07-21 15:12:33 · answer #2 · answered by Nick 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't understand how a hollow sphere with 100% internal reflection correlates to light battery. Maybe you can clarify that in your questing.
2006-07-21 14:08:00 · answer #3 · answered by Jatt 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, if no energy is lost, light inside of a sphere will retain the energy. Anything that retains energy may be thought of as a battery.
2006-07-21 14:48:59 · answer #4 · answered by Tlocity 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't make it truly 100% reflective. So the photons will be lost after a period of time.
2006-07-21 14:10:29 · answer #5 · answered by Steven C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋