Tagged Questions

0
votes
1answer
54 views

How can we observe lights properties if it travels at the speed of light, or can we? [duplicate]

Special relativity says that anything moving (almost) at the speed of light will look like its internal clock has (almost) stopped from the perspective of a stationary observer. How do we see light as ...
0
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3answers
97 views

Special Theory of relativity on electromagnetic waves

Since time slows down and length contracts, when we travel almost at speed of light, if the speed of light (or EM waves) remains same and the wavelength of light remains same, do we measure the ...
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4answers
343 views

Can a photon get emitted without a receiver?

It is generally agreed upon that electromagnetic waves from an emitter does not have to connect to a receiver, but how can we be sure this is a fact? The problem is that we can never observe non ...
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1answer
25 views

Measuring life through radiation

Dramatic title, I know. But it's shorter than Measuring a person's effective mass through radiation and comparing it to their weighed mass and I figured this would get people's attention. I just ...
0
votes
1answer
101 views

Photons, no energy? [duplicate]

I am only 14, so I don't know much about physics, and I would appreciate help on this topic. A photon, is said to have 0 mass. However, they carry energy, as electromagnetic radiation. Albert ...
3
votes
1answer
59 views

Single electron non-perturbing detector

I am designing an experiment where I need to trigger the release of an electron by a radioactive source (Sr-90). The easy way to do it is to use a thin scintillator right after the source collimator. ...
1
vote
1answer
178 views

Velocity of electron in electrostatic field. Does radiation matter?

There's a voltage difference of 1000 Volts between two points 2 meters apart. An electron starts at the point of lower potential and is left to travel alone in a straight line until it reaches the ...
0
votes
0answers
166 views

Lorentz transformations of the polarization vector

Let $\bf{n}'$ be a unit vector in the direction of a wavevector in the plasma rest frame and $\bf{B'}$ be a unit vector along the magnetic field in the plasma rest frame. The electric field of a ...
0
votes
2answers
148 views

light travels a maximum speed… /? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Is it possible for information to be transmitted faster than light? we know that speed of light is an unconquerable term in physics..light takes about 1 year to travel ...
2
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2answers
2k views

Why don't electromagnetic waves require a medium?

As I understand it, electromagnetic waves have two components which are the result of each other, i.e., when a moving electric charge creates a changing magnetic field at point X then a changing ...
2
votes
1answer
226 views

What happens to speed and frequency of a light beam moving in transparent medium when observed from different inertial frame of reference?

Suppose a transparent medium where speed of light is $c/n$, an inertial frame of reference $K$ which is stationary relatively to the medium and an inertial frame of reference $K'$ which is moving ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views

Can you see yourself in a mirror when you are riding on top of a light stream?

What happens if you would ride on top of a light stream and you would look into a mirror that is in front of you, could you actually see your own face? I am asking this because I heard that nothing ...
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votes
5answers
3k views

Why and how is the speed of light constant?

I was told that the relative speed rule does not apply to the speed of light. No matter how fast two objects are moving, the speed of light will remain same for both of them. How and why is this ...