Refraction Phenomenon: How Light Rays Travel in Straight Paths

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    Phenomenon Refraction
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the phenomenon of refraction, specifically how light rays behave when passing through transparent materials like glass. Participants explore the interactions between light and electrons in the material, questioning the mechanisms behind the straight-line travel of light within the medium.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that light rays are absorbed by electrons in glass and then re-emitted, questioning how this leads to straight-line motion within the medium.
  • Another participant challenges this view, stating that the interaction of light with matter does not necessarily involve absorption and re-emission of photons.
  • Some participants reference previous discussions and suggest that the issue of photon transference through a medium is complex and not solely about electron behavior.
  • A participant cites Richard Feynman's lectures, indicating that he supports the idea that the photons we observe after interaction with the material are different from those that initially entered.
  • There is mention of uncertainty regarding whether photons are absorbed and re-emitted or if they interact with the material in another way.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the mechanism of light interaction with matter, particularly regarding the absorption and re-emission of photons. No consensus is reached on the correct explanation of the refraction phenomenon.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the understanding of light behavior in materials may depend on various interpretations and that previous discussions have highlighted different aspects of photon interaction.

sahil_time
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Refraction phenomenon!

If Light rays fall on a transparent glass then they get refracted!
They first get absorbed by the electrons and then to another electron and so on till it emerges out of the glass!
But y does the light travel in straight path in the glass itself...how do the electrons particularly send the light in one and only one Direction??Infact light can be emmited in any direction by the electron??SO the Rectilinear Motion in highly Unlikely??
 
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I think your view is a misunderstanding of how light travels through a materiel. It interacts with the matter, but I don't believe that the electrons of the matter actually absorb and re-emit the photons.
 


Drakkith said:
I think your view is a misunderstanding of how light travels through a materiel. It interacts with the matter, but I don't believe that the electrons of the matter actually absorb and re-emit the photons.

Yeah, this is hard for me to remember, but I believe there were several previous threads/posts on this subject.
Apparently, the issue of photon transference through a medium is quite complicated; not solely involving the "electron absorption/re-emmision issue"
 


Drakkith said:
I think your view is a misunderstanding of how light travels through a materiel. It interacts with the matter, but I don't believe that the electrons of the matter actually absorb and re-emit the photons.

actually that's exactly what Richard Feynman says happens.

It was in another topic a couple of weeks ago a similar topic was discussed and from memory it was "cragar" that put some links to some online Feynman videos in which he catagorically stated that the light photons we see reflected, refracted are different ones that entered/interacted with the material ... glass or whatever

Now I had up till that time never heard of this before, it left me quite intrigued

Dave
 


Sure. If it were not this way most photons would pass through the glass at c.
 


davenn said:
actually that's exactly what Richard Feynman says happens.

It was in another topic a couple of weeks ago a similar topic was discussed and from memory it was "cragar" that put some links to some online Feynman videos in which he catagorically stated that the light photons we see reflected, refracted are different ones that entered/interacted with the material ... glass or whatever

Now I had up till that time never heard of this before, it left me quite intrigued

Dave

Hrmm...I remember from previous discussions being told that the photons were NOT absorbed and re-emitted, but they still interacted with the glass somehow. I'm not sure on the details.
 

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