2006-11-24 17:14:17 · 9 answers · asked by A fan 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The average temperature of the universe is less than 3 degrees above absolute zero. So starlight (sunlight) already travels in the temperatures about which you ask at a constant speed.
Of course temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of a volume... and is there is little mass inside a volume, there is little KE, so vacuum must be very close to zero.
2006-11-24 18:30:20 · answer #1 · answered by Holden 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Speed of light is not affected by temperature. we can observe the Bose- einstein condensate which is 1 billionth degree above absolute zero as clearly as anything else. Moreover, electromagnetic waves have nothing to do with temperature of the substance in which they are travelling. We know light is a form of energy and not matter. As it is not matter, it has no electrons, and as it has no electrons it cannot conduct, convect, absorb or radiate heat. Temperature is the difference between the amount of heat energy in two substances. As light has no heat, it is not affected by outside temperature. So we can say that light and its speed is not affected at very cold temperatures like absolute zero. However light and its speed is affected by enormous gravity which is another topic. Bye!!!
2006-11-25 04:58:33 · answer #2 · answered by supratim dey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Temperature does not affect the movement of light. Hence there won't be any change in the speed of light.
2006-11-25 06:55:46 · answer #3 · answered by Adithya M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a whole branch of physics for studying super cooled elements/objects called condensate physics. I don't know how (if at all) light photons are effected when they're super cooled, but atoms can behave in really weird ways creating things like superfluid which has 0 viscosity.
2006-11-25 02:13:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
temperature should not affect the speed of light as astronomical distances are measured in light years which is the distance that light rtravels in a year.
Space has varying temperatures and a light year is a light year so the speed of light should not be affected by temperature.
2006-11-25 01:17:28 · answer #5 · answered by diburning 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No effect absolute zero doesn't exist its just a theory.
2006-11-25 01:22:50 · answer #6 · answered by lyssa1913 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's not affected at all. all electromagnetic radiations are unaffected by external factors.....after all, they're just packets of energy.
2006-11-25 03:20:34 · answer #7 · answered by Merlin the Magician! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no effect what so ever
2006-11-25 02:46:53 · answer #8 · answered by bprice215 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
none
2006-11-25 01:24:37 · answer #9 · answered by crazzy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋