Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Stephen VandeCarr on 21/06/2008 19:40:00

Title: How does light speed relate to the Lorenz Factor?
Post by: Stephen VandeCarr on 21/06/2008 19:40:00

Stephen VandeCarr asked the Naked Scientists:

If light speed is slightly variable as in "near vacuums", as suggested by Richard Feynman, how does this relate to the Lorenz Factor which goes to infinity at "light speed." Does this result hold for any actual value of "light speed" ?

What do you think?

Title: How does light speed relate to the Lorenz Factor?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 21/06/2008 23:01:30

The only significant light speed is the real one ie light in a normal vacuum.  It is quite possible for particles to exceed the mean speed of light in solifs liquids and gases with a refractive index and therefore a lower velocity of light.  when particles enter such media at speeds greater than the local speed of light the emit Cerenkov radiation until they drop below the local light speed.

see  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%8Cerenkov_radiation