Can Photons Be Accelerated by Altering Their Path?

[Mridul Tripathi]

I am a student . My question is that in what way we can accelerate a photon , is this possible ?
I am a student . My question is that in what way we can accelerate a photon , is this possible ?
what if i pass the light to a medium of varying refractive index,containing lots of biprism at random angles so the velocity vector and the velocity will both change. does this will accelerate the photon

 

[Arman777]

Photon travels with speed c.So I don't think we can accelerate it

 

[Comeback City]

I am a student . My question is that in what way we can accelerate a photon , is this possible ?

I don't think this is possible. For example, photons are already traveling at the speed of light when they are created. There is no need to accelerate them.

 

[stevendaryl]

Actually, velocity is a vector. So even though the speed of a light pulse never changes, the direction of the velocity can. For example, by the light bouncing off a mirror. Also, in General Relativity, the path of a light pulse can be bent by gravity. Whether you consider these to be "acceleration" is a matter of semantics.

Also, light travels slower through a medium (such as glass), so in that sense, light can accelerate when it passes from glass into air.

 

[stevendaryl]

This question is actually a relativity question, rather than a quantum mechanics question. I know the question was expressed in terms of photons, but the question is really about the behavior of light. If there is nothing specifically quantum-mechanical to be said, I might (using my superpowers as a mentor) move the thread to the relativity forum.

 

[ZapperZ]

I am a student . My question is that in what way we can accelerate a photon , is this possible ?

Photons are always at c. So what is there to accelerate?

Zz.

 

[Vanadium 50]

One can accelerate a photon by changing its direction, but not by changing its speed.