2007-03-04 06:49:49 · 15 answers · asked by mickm 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
If it did have a speed, I would say it was the same as the speed of light. Once the light beam moves away from a point, the darkness would fill in right behind it, so the rate of returning to dark would have to be the same as the light beam.
But, darkness is the absence of light, so there is nothing there to have a speed.
I guess the question is really asking, how fast does light leave an area, which would have to be as quickly as it entered it.
2007-03-04 07:09:36 · answer #1 · answered by Cpt_Zero 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Darkness is just light at different wavelengths? Complete darkness is the lack of any light whatsoever, not a different type of light. I agree they would have the same speed though, as described by the lovely FC, above.
I suppose you could say though that darkness is the speed that light moves away, so darkness, being the absence of something, cannot by definition have a speed. Nothing is not a measurable entity.
2007-03-04 07:00:52 · answer #2 · answered by Dave 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Darkness is the absence of any light. You can measure the speed and retraction of light though. So i guess if you measured the retraction of light once you for eg turn off the light switch, then you would technicaly have the speed of the darkness filling the void taken by the light.
2007-03-04 06:58:29 · answer #3 · answered by trickyrick32 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Same speed as the dark runs away as quick as the light tries to catch it.
2007-03-04 06:53:19 · answer #4 · answered by FC 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Darkness does not have a speed.
'Darkness' is a void. there is neither matter in the space nor electromagnetic waves.
Light is an electromagnetic wave. All electromagnetic waves move a the same speed in a vacuum.
Darkness as we know it, such as a dark night, still has matter (air), and electromagnetic waves still pass through it. Light waves still pass through a dark night, but they are of very low amplitude(intensity) - we can see the stars or silhouettes.
2007-03-04 07:17:46 · answer #5 · answered by lenpol7 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can only ever be the same as the speed of light.
Imagine light as being a constant flow of water and the darkness being the air closing in the space where the water used to be, when the tap is turned off.
Probably a load of rubbish scientifically but its the way I imagine it to be.
2007-03-04 06:57:47 · answer #6 · answered by theearlof87 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Darkness is nothing more than light that is at different wavelengths. If you can see it, it is light, even if called darkness. The speed is the same.
2007-03-04 06:54:57 · answer #7 · answered by Fred 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure whether it has no speed or is the same as the speed of light but as others have said there is no such thing as darkness it is just a lack of light. The same goes for cold, there is no such thing as cold it is just a lack of heat energy. Same with silence and sound.
2007-03-04 08:00:25 · answer #8 · answered by billymysterio 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Darkness is the absence of light. If you are talking about the the speed of "ether" then you have yourself a terribly complicated issue.
2007-03-04 06:55:54 · answer #9 · answered by Michael M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Darkness is the absence of light. As it is nothing in and of itself, it has no speed.
2007-03-04 06:54:26 · answer #10 · answered by Ken C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋