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Docscientist
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In an electromagnetic wave like light,both wavelength and frequency changes but it's speed always remains constant.Why?
I'm sorry.I'm not.I just need a short and subtle answer for my question.The Wikipedia page confuses me with a lot of new terms I haven't yet learned.russ_watters said:Are you familiar at all with Special Relativity?
Thos question comes upmften enough that we have a FAQ for it: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/speed-light-frames-reference/Docscientist said:In an electromagnetic wave like light,both wavelength and frequency changes but it's speed always remains constant.Why?
And that should mean that speed of light is not constant,right?russ_watters said:That said, it can be forced to travel through a medium like glass or water at a different speed.
The link states something about two postulates.Can you explain more about it? I can't understand that clearly.Nugatory said:Thos question comes upmften enough that we have a FAQ for it: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/speed-light-frames-reference/
The speed of light is considered constant because it has been measured and found to be the same in all reference frames. This means that no matter how fast an observer is moving relative to the source of light, the speed of light will always be the same.
The speed of light was first determined by the Danish astronomer Ole Rømer in the late 17th century. He observed the moons of Jupiter and noticed that their orbital periods were not consistent. By measuring the time difference between the eclipses of the moons, Rømer was able to calculate the speed of light to be approximately 220,000 kilometers per second.
The speed of light is considered the cosmic speed limit because it is the fastest speed at which energy, information, and matter can travel. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, as an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases and it requires an infinite amount of energy to accelerate it further. This makes it impossible to reach or exceed the speed of light.
According to our current understanding of physics, the speed of light is considered to be constant. However, there are theories that suggest the possibility of variations in the speed of light, such as the variable speed of light (VSL) theory. These theories are still being studied and have not been proven.
The speed of light plays a crucial role in many aspects of our daily lives. It allows us to communicate through fiber optic cables, which use light to transmit information. It also helps us understand the universe, as light from distant stars and galaxies reach us at a constant speed, providing us with valuable information about the cosmos. Additionally, our understanding of the speed of light has led to the development of technologies such as lasers and GPS systems.