Why Does Light Slow Down in a Medium?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
Sign up Log in
1 reply · 2K views
IPhO' 2008
Messages
44
Reaction score
0
Why the speed of light decreases when it is in the medium?
Thank you.
 
Physics news on Phys.org

Discussion

There's a post that addresses this in the FAQ sticky thread at the top of the General Physics forum.
 

Similar threads

High School Why does light slow down in a medium?
  • Jaffer2020
  • · Replies 41 ·
  • Optics
2
Replies
41
Undergrad Does light slow down in a gravitational field?
  • Adam Rifai
  • · Replies 14 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
14
Undergrad Why doesn't light appear to slow down when observed from inside glass?
  • deedee6905
  • · Replies 1 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
1
Undergrad Why does light slow down in mediums like water?
  • A.I.
  • · Replies 3 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
3
Graduate Can a photon truly slow down in a dense medium?
  • sunrah
  • · Replies 12 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
12
Graduate Why does light slow down only above the phonon spectrum frequency?
  • bubblewrap
  • · Replies 2 ·
  • Optics
Replies
2
Graduate Does light slow down (relativistic) near a black hole?
  • Buzzworks
  • · Replies 18 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
18
Undergrad Why does light reach train observer sequentially if equidistant in train frame?
  • lukka98
  • · Replies 221 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
8
Replies
221
Graduate How does light slow down in matter and what is the true vacuum speed?
  • JKFlyguy
  • · Replies 13 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
13
High School Why does a traveling observer see your time slow down if yours slows for them?
  • AdvaitDhingra
  • · Replies 10 ·
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
10