For instance, heated waves comming off a hot road cause a shimmering or wavey effect to the image past it. Is the air acting as a lens? Can you use density of anything to warp or bend light / radiation?
2006-08-17 07:24:49 · 5 answers · asked by techboy 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Refractive index is what you are looking for in a material. The higher the refractive index the the slower light waves propagate through it. Vacuum is set as 1.
I have attached a link that explain refractive index in details.
2006-08-17 07:48:09 · answer #1 · answered by galactic_man_of_leisure 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Air (and water vapor) moves as it changes temperature. As it heats, it expands, which causes it to rise. This causes changes in the refractive properties of air and vapor.
Just like moving a magnifying glass around under the sun. Moving it changes its refraction.
2006-08-17 14:30:26 · answer #2 · answered by Privratnik 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Diamonds have been proven to slow the speed of light through their density (true, it's marginal, but it can be tracked)
2006-08-17 14:29:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is what you were looking for right?
2006-08-17 14:30:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
satisfy with what you see.'aana-kani nahi karneka re' KYA SAMJHA'
2006-08-17 14:50:09 · answer #5 · answered by sim 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋