Exploring the Possibility of Faster Light Speed: Vacuum vs. Denser Mediums

In summary, this conversation was about the speed of light and how it is affected by dark matter. It was determined that although space may not be empty, the density is very low and has little effect on the speed of light. It was also mentioned that although dark matter doesn't affect light propagation, it would be different if it did.
  • #1
goldust
89
1
Speed of light through vacuum is 299 792 458 m / s, but is slower through a denser medium like glass or water. We now know vacuum is not empty as previously thought, but has all kinds of new material in them like dark matter. Has any experiments been done to determine how fast light can be thorough a medium that has no dark matter in it? Would it be intuitively faster than the currently measured speed of light through vacuum?
 
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  • #2
Nothing is faster than universal speed limit, which as far as is currently known is also the speed of light in a vacuum
 
  • #3
The speed of light is invariant under GR, which assumes no media whatsoever. What would be remarkable is detection of a slightly slower speed of light through nearly empty space.
 
  • #4
Although space is not empty, the density is very low, and has little effect on the speed of light. How do we know this? For one thing, media don't just slow down light, they disperse light, causing different colors to separate. If space were fairly dense, then we would see that the images of faraway galaxies were temporally and spatially shifted by color.
 
  • #5
Nope.The Speed Of Light Now Known Is The Fastest.Because,
If A Particle ( Eg.Photon) Moves At The Speed Of Light ( i.e The Speed Of Light In Vaccum(299 792 458 m/s), Its Mass Would Be Zero . So Is There Anything With A Mass Of Value With A Negative Sign (eg.-12kg)?So The Speed Of Light Now Known Is The Fastest Speed That A Matter Can Attain At Its Peak.

S.I.S ;)
 
  • #6
goldust said:
Speed of light through vacuum is 299 792 458 m / s, but is slower through a denser medium like glass or water. We now know vacuum is not empty as previously thought, but has all kinds of new material in them like dark matter. Has any experiments been done to determine how fast light can be thorough a medium that has no dark matter in it? Would it be intuitively faster than the currently measured speed of light through vacuum?

This about this: if dark matter is dense enough that it affects the speed of light, we would have discovered dark matter already by now!.

Secondly, your description of light interaction with dark matter implies that there is an electromagnetic interaction between light and dark matter. Most of the models for dark matter candidates based on what we know about dark matter has no such interaction. Dark matter's main channel of interaction is via its gravitational presence. So "your dark matter" here will be very different than what we know about dark matter.

Zz.
 
  • #7
Dark matter does not affect light propagation. If it did, it wouldn't be dark.
 

1. What is the fastest speed of light?

The fastest speed of light is 299,792,458 meters per second, also known as the speed of light in a vacuum.

2. How was the fastest speed of light determined?

The fastest speed of light was first determined through experiments conducted by scientists such as Ole Rømer and Albert Michelson in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, it is defined as a constant in the laws of physics.

3. Can anything travel faster than the speed of light?

According to the theory of relativity, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. This is because as an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases and it would require infinite energy to accelerate it further.

4. Is the speed of light the same in all mediums?

No, the speed of light can vary depending on the medium it is traveling through. For example, light travels slower in water or glass than it does in a vacuum.

5. How does the speed of light affect our daily lives?

The speed of light is an important factor in many technologies we use every day, such as fiber optic communication and GPS systems. It also plays a crucial role in understanding the universe and the laws of physics.

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