Bremsstrahlung and chrenkoff

[ArmoSkater87]

I've been wondering about the different cases of light emittion, and the most unclear to me are Bremsstrahlung and chrenkoff. If u can, please give me details about these two cases. Thank You. :D

[Crumbles]

Cerenkov light is light that is emitted when particles travel faster than the speed of light in a medium. For example, if particles travel through glass at a speed faster than light itself would travel through glass, cerenkov light is emitted. It is analogic to the sonic boom.

[ArmoSkater87]

yea, i already knew about that, i was wondering if u knew any details to why this sonic boom of light happens.

[Crumbles]

Check out this link: http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/balloon/cerenkov_radiation.html

"The electric and magnetic fields associated with a rapidly moving charge excite the atoms of the medium. The excited atoms emit part of their light in the form of a coherent wavefront of radiation at fixed angle with respect to the trajectory of the charged particle"

[ArmoSkater87]

k, thanks, that makes sense :D ...but why would the magnetic/electric field caused by the moving particle excite the atoms of the medium. I had a though but im not sure, maybe the charge makes the electrons in the atom repell and go to an outer energy level, but not im sure, any help would be great. :)