If you place a glass test tube in water, you can see the tube. If you place it in soybean oil, you may not be able to see it. What does this indicate about the speed of light in the oil and in the glass?
2007-05-02 11:48:52 · 4 answers · asked by kid_2205 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
It is wrong to assume that the speed of light never changes, it does. When talking about the speed of light we are usually referring to what is does in a vacuum. And there where there is no matter it going at the rate of C (the fastest known speed), but when it is going through different kinds of matter it does have different speeds. So light does go slower through water then it does in a vacuum. Now for the oil question. It is possible not to slow down light and still not be able to see it on the other side because it could be reflected out at angles that don't allow you to see it, but given that oil is more dense then water and the main reason that light travels slower in water then in a vacuum is because how dense the material is that the light has to travel through, I don't know for sure, but I would guess that light is slower through the oil.
Thanks to the last answer I think it proves that it is slower in oil because the index of refraction is different between water and the oil as given here:
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/phys/Dept2/APPhys1/optics/optics/node4.html
2007-05-02 12:07:55 · answer #1 · answered by Bulk O 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It indicates that the soybean oil does not allow light to pass through it as cleanly as water does. Therefore less light can reach your eyes, and the tube is less visible.
2007-05-02 11:51:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The speed of light never changes.
The Refraction Index of both are close to being the same.
2007-05-02 11:57:24 · answer #3 · answered by Answers 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The speed of light through each is the same.
2007-05-02 11:52:14 · answer #4 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋