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Hunterbender
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Čerenkov radiation: Why is it possible?
Well, I was reading about neutrino the other day, and I came across the Čerenkov radiation. I understand that the universal speed limit is the speed of light, c, in a vacuum. I understand that Čerenkov radiation occurs when objects (not as physical object, but stuff) travel faster than light in an alternate medium. What I don't understand is:
How is it that a medium exists that can slow down light more than some other substance? For example, air: it slows down a person and the bike the person is riding at the same time. How is it that this substance exists that can slow down one thing (ie light) more than other things (also in the same medium)?
Also, is there special characteristic of these substances?(Note: I am still a high school senior taking basic differential equations at school, please refrain from writing fancy 2 page long equations/formulas. Thanks!)
Well, I was reading about neutrino the other day, and I came across the Čerenkov radiation. I understand that the universal speed limit is the speed of light, c, in a vacuum. I understand that Čerenkov radiation occurs when objects (not as physical object, but stuff) travel faster than light in an alternate medium. What I don't understand is:
How is it that a medium exists that can slow down light more than some other substance? For example, air: it slows down a person and the bike the person is riding at the same time. How is it that this substance exists that can slow down one thing (ie light) more than other things (also in the same medium)?
Also, is there special characteristic of these substances?(Note: I am still a high school senior taking basic differential equations at school, please refrain from writing fancy 2 page long equations/formulas. Thanks!)
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