k9b4 said:I think that a wall does not actually stop light, I think the electromagnetic waves exist on the other side of the wall, but the charges in the wall provide their own electromagnetic field, such that charges on the other side of the wall feel both forces at the same time and 'cancel out'.
Is this correct?
elegysix said:I would think of photons as bullets.
If you have a strong enough bullet (enough energy), it will go through the wall. otherwise, not so much.
Cool, thanks for explaining.Nugatory said:Not quite, but you have the right idea. The waves do not exist on the other side of the wall because the intensity of the electrical and magnetic fields there is zero - there is no wave, just as there are no water waves on the surface of a still pond. However, the intensity is zero for pretty much the reason that you give: the charges in the wall move around in response to the incoming wave in such a way that their electric fields always exactly cancel that of the incoming wave.
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye. It is made up of tiny particles called photons that travel in waves at the speed of light.
Light travels in a straight line, in a constant speed of 299,792,458 meters per second. It can travel through a vacuum, like outer space, or through a medium, such as air or water.
When light hits a wall, it can be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted. This depends on the material of the wall and the angle at which the light hits it.
A wall stops light because the material of the wall absorbs or reflects the light that hits it. The photons of light are either absorbed into the material or bounce off its surface, causing the light to stop and not pass through the wall.
No, light cannot pass through all types of walls. Transparent materials, such as glass, allow light to pass through, while opaque materials, like a brick wall, do not allow light to pass through. The composition and density of the material determine whether or not it will allow light to pass through.