Is the value of c ( speed of light ) is constant ?

In summary, the speed of light is a constant according to the theory of relativity and is measured using high precision instruments. It cannot be exceeded as it is the maximum speed at which matter and information can travel. All experiments and observations have confirmed its constancy. The speed of light is considered a fundamental constant due to its crucial role in many fundamental theories of physics and its presence in equations and laws that describe the behavior of the universe.
  • #1
kevinsetiono
20
0
is the value of c is constant , although the light through other media , like glasses or water or vacuum ?
 
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  • #2
c is the speed of light in a vacuum. That value is an invariant: it doesn't depend on how fast the source or the observer is moving.
 
  • #3
...and, to clarify, the speed of light through non-vacuum media isn't constant, but usually isn't written c either.
 
  • #4
Not written as c ! what is it written as?... do you mean it has to have a suffix like 'a' for air, 'g' for glass etc?
 
  • #5
Do remember that the symbols are arbitrary symbols given to certain constants. What it's written as probably varies.
 
  • #6
so you can use whatever you want in physics?
our books have c as the speed of light. We have even found that c is being used as the normal speed symbolk for waves.
Why is it that information given here is usually the opposite of what we do in school
 
  • #7
Well, I did say "usually". Not all books use the same conventions, so maybe your books use a different convention than other books use. Sometimes even in the same book the same symbol is used with different meanings. So it's important to read the words that accompany the equations as well as the equations themselves. And if you are reading several different books you need to check whether they use the same symbols or not.
 
  • #8
Emilyjoint said:
Not written as c ! what is it written as?... do you mean it has to have a suffix like 'a' for air, 'g' for glass etc?

The speed of light through any particular medium is usually written as [itex]c / n[/itex], where [itex]n[/itex] is the index of refraction of the medium.
 
  • #9
Emilyjoint said:
so you can use whatever you want in physics?
our books have c as the speed of light. We have even found that c is being used as the normal speed symbolk for waves.
Why is it that information given here is usually the opposite of what we do in school

Your book is most likely talking about the speed of light in a vacuum. That is what c stands for. In a medium light does not travel at c, so you cannot use it unless you say 0.9c or whatever it's velocity is in that medium.
Edit: (Or c/n as steely dan pointed out)
 
  • #10
so , the c will be change if light walk through some media , will it increased or decreased ?
 
  • #11
kevinsetiono said:
so , the c will be change if light walk through some media , will it increased or decreased ?

It decreases, it can't increase. c is the speed limit.
 
  • #12
kevinsetiono said:
so , the c will be change if light walk through some media , will it increased or decreased ?

The constant c has a specific value equal to the speed that light travels in a vacuum. Light traveling through a medium does not travel at c but at a slower velocity. c never changes, it is a constant.
 

FAQ: Is the value of c ( speed of light ) is constant ?

Is the speed of light always the same?

Yes, according to the theory of relativity, the speed of light in a vacuum is a constant and is not affected by the observer's frame of reference.

How is the speed of light measured?

The speed of light is measured by using high precision instruments such as lasers and mirrors to determine the time it takes for light to travel a specific distance.

Can the speed of light be exceeded?

No, according to the theory of relativity, the speed of light is the maximum speed at which matter and information can travel.

Has the speed of light ever been proven to be not constant?

So far, all experiments and observations have confirmed that the speed of light is indeed constant and does not vary.

Why is the speed of light considered a fundamental constant?

The speed of light is considered a fundamental constant because it is a universal limit that plays a crucial role in many fundamental theories of physics, such as the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. It is also a key component in many equations and laws that describe the behavior of the universe.

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