2006-09-08 12:06:41 · 10 answers · asked by confused 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
In the last 6 years or so, it's been discovered that you can slow light down to walking pace or even stop it by directing it into a Bose-Einstein condensate of matter within a tiny fraction of a degree of absolute zero. You can then release it and it will continue on its merry way at the usual speed of 3x10^8 m/sec.
2006-09-08 12:15:44 · answer #1 · answered by zee_prime 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Light travels slower through a material with lots of electrons than it does through vacuum. It's not the temperature that causes the slowing of light, but rather the electrons absorbing and then re-radiating the light in the same direction. The interference between the re-radiated light has the effect of slowing down the speed at which the energy propagates through the medium. So at very low temperatures, its not actually slowed down, its just more heavily impeded.
What cold temperatures can do is change the electron behavior (and density) which can in turn change the "refractive index" of a material.
2006-09-08 19:10:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
While sound is effected by low temperatures, light is not. If light was effected by low temperatures, we would have encountered this effect as we sent people into space or to the moon as our communications systems, which rely on EM radiation would have been effected by the extremely low temperature of space.
2006-09-08 19:13:18 · answer #3 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Speed of light generally references the speed in a vacuum, where it would be unaffected by temperature.
2006-09-09 06:02:24 · answer #4 · answered by SAN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed of light is the temperature.
2006-09-08 20:25:51 · answer #5 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Out in space - no. At cryogenic temperatures most substances would be liquid or solid and would slow light down.
2006-09-08 19:15:05 · answer #6 · answered by Fredrick Carley 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I read in scientific American that light can be stopped and started that way. If its cold enough.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/12/frozen_light/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3308109.stm
Here is a good one.
http://www.physics.hku.hk/~tboyce/sf/topics/lightfreeze/lightfreeze.html
2006-09-08 19:17:51 · answer #7 · answered by position28 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No. the light in my fridge comes on immediately no matter what the temperature is inside.
2006-09-08 19:13:45 · answer #8 · answered by smart mouth 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
no,No Corralation
2006-09-08 19:17:19 · answer #9 · answered by sur2124 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
NO!
2006-09-08 22:13:49 · answer #10 · answered by axis mentis 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋