What element or force is capable of slowing down the speed of light at the quickest rate possible???

Question

Would it be some type of mass or a force like gravity????...Thanks for the awesome insight...Tom Science 4

Answer 1

opaque objects! they prevent the transmission of light. massive objects on the other (according to einstein) could curve the space-time continuum, thus curving also the path of light. strong gravity can also slow down or even prevent the transmission of light, just like in the case of blackholes.

Answer 2

all answers are misleading.
the question asked should not be seen from relativity.
but from classical physics. When light passes through
a medium, it's speed changes. in vacuum it's c=3.0x 10^8 m/s.
in water it's c/1.33. through glass it's slower. the property
c/vel_in_medium is called refractive index.

There are exotic media where people have slowed it down to
10 cm/s. Metals have infinite refractive index. A plasma
can also be used to stop light !

THIS IS A CLASSICAL PHYSICS PROBLEM! FORGET EINSTEIN !

what is light? an alternating electric & magnetic field. Add to this system a collection of charged particles that will move in those fields. These moving charged particles will create thier own field. Thus altering the original wave & slowing it down !!

Answer 3

The speeed of light is measured relative to the Earth as frame of reference .We call that local space in which the Gravity field medium exists.
When light travels in certain mediums on earth(Air, water,plasma etc) it slows down.
In different space substance Energy densities(what physics call Vaccum energy density)the speed of light is variable according to the proportions of this density.

Answer 4

oh i love questions like this.... k other than moving through a substance (with would offer some form of re stance) nothing can slow light!!! but you can slow the passage of time so from our perspective the light is traveling slower. theory of relativity.