Is it possible? (faster than light in a medium)

[IPhO' 2008]

If we have a tank which full of water.Then,emitted the light into the tank.The speed of light is c/n . If we can run faster than c/n. We will run faster than light.
Is it possible?

 

[JesseM]

Yes, the impossibility of traveling faster than light only applies to the speed of light in a vacuum.

 

[cfrogue]

If we have a tank which full of water.Then,emitted the light into the tank.The speed of light is c/n . If we can run faster than c/n. We will run faster than light.
Is it possible?

You are gauging the speed of light I assume from one medium to another.

It will max out at c.

 

[russ_watters]

Well, we can't run faster than the speed of light in water, but hypothetically, if there is a material with a refractive index that causes light to travel at an apparent speed less than running speed, we could run faster.

 

[cfrogue]

Well, we can't run faster than the speed of light in water, but hypothetically, if there is a material with a refractive index that causes light to travel at an apparent speed less than running speed, we could run faster.

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1999/02.18/light.html

 

[George Jones]

If we have a tank which full of water.Then,emitted the light into the tank.The speed of light is c/n . If we can run faster than c/n. We will run faster than light.
Is it possible?

Instead of us running, use an electron moving through the water. If the election moves faster that the speed of light in the water, Cerenkov radiation is emitted. This radiation is routinely observed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherenkov_radiation

 

[jtbell]

Thread title edited. Please make thread titles specific to begin with. :grumpy:

 

[IPhO' 2008]

We can run faster than c/n in lab,but we can't run faster than c/n in the water.
Right?