How can we see light moving with us if its speed is reduced by a factor of 100?

[Bigee]

I know that the speed of light cannot be attained in vacuum as by the time of reaching there, mass increases excessively, causing whatever energy we had initially to be taken up by it. But what if the material in which light is moving is so optically dense that speed of light is reduced by a factor of ,say about 100, would it then be possible to move alongside it and actually see light moving with us... given that our mass is very small and we can see.

 

[Hootenanny]

Welcome to PF Bigee,

It is indeed possible for a particle in a medium to travel faster than light does in the same medium. When this occurs a phenomenon known as http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SpeedOfLight/cherenkov.html" is observed, which analagous to the sonic boom obeserved when an object travels faster than the speed of sound in air.

 

[Entropia]

It is not possible for us to physically see light moving with us, even if its speed is reduced by a factor of 100. This is because the speed of light is still incredibly fast, even at a reduced speed, and our eyes are not capable of perceiving such rapid movements. Additionally, the concept of "seeing" light is not based on our physical movement, but rather on the photons of light entering our eyes and stimulating our retinas.

Furthermore, the idea of "seeing" light moving with us is based on a misconception. Light does not move in the same way that objects with mass do. It does not have a physical form or trajectory that can be observed in the same way as a moving object. Light is a form of energy that travels in waves, and its movement is measured in terms of its frequency and wavelength, not in physical distance.

In regards to the concept of attaining the speed of light, it is important to note that this is not possible for any object with mass, regardless of the medium it is traveling through. This is due to the principles of special relativity, which state that as an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases infinitely and it would require an infinite amount of energy to accelerate it further.

In summary, while it may be possible to observe the effects of light moving at a reduced speed in a highly optically dense material, it is not possible for us to physically see light moving with us. Our perception of light is based on its interaction with our eyes and brain, not our physical movement.