Why does light travel so slow?

In summary, the conversation discussed the speed of light and whether anything can travel faster. It was mentioned that nothing in current theories can travel faster than the speed of light and that the concept of slow or fast is relative to a reference point. The topic was also seen as potentially leading to important discoveries.
  • #1
physicsnoob12
15
0
although compared to us light travel super fast if you take a step back one will see that copared to the gigantic universe light travels very slow. can there be any thing that travels faster than light?
 
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  • #2
Nothing in currently accepted theories can travel faster than the speed of light. Also, whether or not something travels slowly shouldn't really be gauged on the size of what it travels through. You're comparing a moving object with, in a sense, static objects
 
  • #5
  • #6
I've always thought that the finite velocity of light implies that we sort of lack complete knowledge of the exact nature of the vacuum. This is because the question really is why do the electric and magnetic field constants take on the values that they do.Is everyone scoffing at the topic (I realize there are two of them though.. which is funny), because it is sometimes these questions that yield the greatest results... :/
 
  • #7
Slow or fast is actually the outcome of a comparison to something else as reference. So to say something is slow, there should be something faster. So until we find something faster than light we would not be in a position to say.. "Light is slow"... Coz until then everything else is slower than light and hence light is faster than anything else... at times faster than itself.. depending on the medium...
Merry Christmas and Kwanzaa... and to everyone a wonderful year ending...
 

1. Why does light travel at a finite speed?

Light travels at a finite speed because it is made up of particles called photons, which have a mass of zero. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, objects with zero mass can only travel at the speed of light. This means that light can never travel faster or slower than its current speed.

2. How fast does light travel?

Light travels at a speed of approximately 299,792,458 meters per second, which is equivalent to about 670,616,629 miles per hour. This is known as the speed of light in a vacuum, as light can travel at slightly slower speeds in different mediums.

3. Why does light travel slower in different mediums?

Light travels slower in different mediums because it interacts with the particles in the medium. When light enters a medium, it is absorbed and re-emitted by the particles, causing it to slow down. This process happens constantly as light travels through the medium, resulting in an overall slower speed.

4. Can light ever travel faster than its current speed?

No, according to the theory of relativity, light can never travel faster than its current speed. This is because objects with zero mass, like photons, can only travel at the speed of light. However, scientists have been able to manipulate the speed of light by slowing it down or speeding it up in different mediums.

5. Does light always travel at the same speed?

Yes, light always travels at the same speed in a vacuum. However, as mentioned before, the speed of light can be manipulated in different mediums, resulting in a slightly slower or faster speed. Additionally, the speed of light can also be affected by gravity, causing it to bend or curve in its path.

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