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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Light's interaction with matter

« on: 11/09/2005 01:43:16 »

Well I have tried to answer many questions, I would like to ask one now. I need some help getting my mind around the concept of light passing though a media other than a vacuum. As you know, light’s velocity changes when passing though air, water, glass, oil, etc. Are there any theories to explain this phenomenon? I know there are equations to describe the effect, but is there anything to explain why or how?

It seems that there has to be some interaction between matter and energy that is non-contact here. As far as I know, only gravity has the ability to effect photons without contact. If you will, the photons “know” they are in a different media and react accordingly. Part two of the question is: is there such a thing as diffusion of light or is it really just adsorption and reemission? It seems to me that the second case would result in color shifts as adsorption would be at a quantum level, and electrons would be moving discrete amounts based on their energy levels. So the light would not remain it’s true color. That leaves some form of non-quantum interaction again between matter and energy that deflects light. We also have the reflection phenomenon where light energy is reflected but again not adsorbed at a quantum level.

Light is indeed strange and these actions are like light bouncing off but light is not matter and there is no elastic adsorption and remission of energy as I would understand it at a quantum level.


David

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Just Chat! / Are the terrorists winning? Rising cost of safety

« on: 10/08/2005 13:28:31 »

One of the things Bin Laden gloated over in his post 911 vidioes was the cost of the damage the attack inflicted. Put down 100 Billion dollars as an initial low ball estimate. Add to that all the cost of Homeland security, increased costs of inspections at airports and now subways, the paper work, etc.

Ask yourself where does the money come from to pay for all these things, much which wouldn't be necessary if they didn't want to attack us. It come from decreasing our standard of living. We don't have as much now as we did before in real terms. The terrorists have succeeded in costing the world somewhere between a quarter and a half trillion dollars so far.

Are we winning? In our revolutionary war, the British won almost every battle. But the battles got too expensive, and so we won the war.

What is it going to take to "win" back our security?