2006-07-22 16:28:29 · 7 answers · asked by Whatever 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Your turned off light stops emitting photons and so darkness in the immediate vicinity ensues through lack of a high-enough level of available photons (basically the intensity is reduced).
Following that, photons are not all absorbed through the surroundings, in that they cease to exist. Rather a large part of them will transfer their momentum to matter they interact with immediately (what is called pressure radiation). A small portion of the photons will continue on their way through the walls, ceiling and floor (through the earth even) until they interact with matter somewhere along the way and always in diminishing numbers as you go further from the source.
2006-07-22 16:54:49 · answer #1 · answered by Zierra 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
the photons go the same place they go when the light is on
think about it, when the light is on, there is a constant stream of photons leaving the light and bouncing of stuff and getting absorbed by stuff
as you know, they are moving very fast
any individual photon produced a millionth of a second ago is long gone whether the light is on or off
naturally, when you turn off the light, you can not detect the super tiny amount of time between when the light goes off and no more photons are made, and when the last photon made bites the dust
it seems instantaneous because it is virtually so
2006-07-22 16:54:30 · answer #2 · answered by enginerd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are absorbed by the walls, floor, and various objects in the room. This is also why, despite the fact that your light puts out a constant stream of new photons when lit, the room stays at a constant brightness.
2006-07-22 16:32:05 · answer #3 · answered by Pascal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ones emitted from the light before you turn it off are absorbed by the surroundings. Once you turn th light off, no more photons are emitted from bulb.
2006-07-22 16:32:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They all jump at light speed into the photon jar next to your bed on the nightstand. You can't see it of course, because they all hide in there.
2006-07-22 16:31:59 · answer #5 · answered by Thom Thumb 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They're absorbed by the enviroment, and when you turn off the light they're no longer being produced.
2006-07-22 16:31:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it may be absorbed by differant things
2006-07-22 18:05:46 · answer #7 · answered by anjith g 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋