2006-08-10 11:38:09 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Awesome question.
2006-08-10 11:43:39 · answer #1 · answered by Carol R 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Darkness has no speed since its definition is just the absence of light. But if you were asking how fast you can detect darkness, that is the absence of light, through vision then it depends how far you are far the location. Example, it takes time for light to travel from the sun to earth so in a solar eclipse, it would take several minutes before you see darkness(that is after the last photon reached your eye). In reality however, without using our senses, darkness begins in the instant as light photons become zero.
2006-08-10 19:14:30 · answer #2 · answered by Romeo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was admitted to MIT in the Chemistry department, and while we were there, after a lot of difficult work, we invented the electric dark bulb. You screw it in to any ordinary socket and it shines darkness out in every direction, but leaving well lit shadows. I could send you one and you could measure the speed yourself if you like. (By the way, it works on the same general principle that the freeze ray does that Arnold Scwartzennegger used in one of the Batman movies. Except that the speed of freeze is far slower than the speed of dark, I am certain.)
2006-08-10 18:55:00 · answer #3 · answered by Sciencenut 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Darkness is simply the lack of light. It's very tricky because light is understood to be the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum of radiation, so any region of space that doesn't have radiation in that range of wavelengths is considered dark. I guess you can measure the "speed of dark" by how fast light leaves an area. In that case, it's equal to the speed of light. Otherwise, darkness is not an entity and cannot be measured.
2006-08-10 18:44:38 · answer #4 · answered by N G 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Someone's a Terry Pratchett fan... heehee.
Darkness has no speed because it is the absence of light (which is at least a partcle/wave that can be measured). Darkness is therefore a description of a negative rather than an actual physical thing.
2006-08-10 18:54:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
How about this web page on the speed of dark for your amusement:
2006-08-10 18:57:03 · answer #6 · answered by Mr. E 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the same as the speed of light because when the source of light ceases to project light, the last bits of light zooming towards you are followed by the first presence of dark at the same speed.
2006-08-10 18:43:40 · answer #7 · answered by rosends 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
dark is the absence of light, so it's as fast as light can leave the area. Which is the speed of light.
2006-08-10 18:42:54 · answer #8 · answered by suppy_sup 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dark doesn't speed, it CREEPS.
2006-08-10 21:45:19 · answer #9 · answered by Luis 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same as the light that dispels it.
2006-08-10 18:44:20 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋