Refraction - Hitting fish with laser gun

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of refraction and how to aim a laser gun at a fish in water, considering the properties of light and the hypothetical scenario where the laser is faster than light.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore how to aim at a fish, questioning whether to aim at its apparent position or its actual position due to refraction effects. Some discuss the implications of light behavior in different mediums and the assumptions about the speed of the laser.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active with various interpretations being explored. Some participants provide insights into the behavior of light and lasers in water, while others question the assumptions made about the speed of light and its effects on aiming.

Contextual Notes

There is a playful tone in the discussion, with some participants making light-hearted comments about the scenario. The conversation also touches on principles of relativity and the bending of light in different mediums, though it remains speculative.

SissyQ19
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if you were to hit a fish with a laser gun, how would you aim? (provided that laser if faster than light). Pls explain.
 
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I would aim directly at where I see the fish! And, no, the laser light is not faster than light because - well - it IS light!
 
I will not shoot at its apparent position.
 
Why not? Don't you expect the light going into the water to follow the same path as light coming out of the water?
 
depends on where the fish is :P
 
Logically, the fish is in the water. If the fish were not in the water then there would be no need to aim at it. You would simply pick up the fish, carry it to the skillet and fry it with the laser. :-)
 
According to relativity principles light deviates when it is affected by gravity. This is not true for laser. Therefore the fish will actually be higher than it seems.
Now that I realize it is a fish I suppose it is in water :p
Let's say that the laser is faster than light.
I believe it is possible that the faster something is the less it bends when switching from an envirement to another (per say air-water) not fully sure of this as I have no proof
If this was true though then light passing penetrating the water would bend with an angle theta while the laser would bend with an angle < theta. In order to hit the fish you would have to aim beneath the fish so that theta(laser)>theta(light).

This is too much guessing to be of any real use but might provide some ideas which you can mix with coursework to get the real answer. Just look up on how speed of a traveling object (be it light or laser) propagates while passing between different mediums, have fun!
 

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