Friday, January 30, 2015

Creation Moment 1/31/2015 - Slowing Light

I form the light,
Isaiah 45:7
"A universal rule of thumb may need to be rewritten: Light moving freely through empty space does not necessarily travel at the speed of light.
As physicists have come to know, light particles traveling through empty space should zip along at exactly 186,282 miles per second (299,792 kilometers per second). This velocity is what's usually referred to as "the speed of light".

But now, new research suggests there is an exception to this rule: Light will not travel at top speed in empty space if the "structure" of the light is first changed.

Something as simple as a magnifying glass can change the structure of light, according to the authors of the new study. The lens collects the diffuse light and brings it together into a single, bright point.


For photons, or particles of light, getting out of a glass of water is like trying to leave a crowded party: The photon keeps bumping into other "partygoers" (the water molecules), preventing the little light ray from taking a straight path to the door. The photon moves quickly between each water molecule, but a zigzag path between two points is slower than a straight one, so ultimately, the photon is delayed.  

While traveling through the medium, the photons are always moving at their maximum velocity (the speed of light), but are slowed down by the altered path. So, once the photon escapes into open space and resumes a straight path, it should also jump back up to its maximum speed. But according to the new study, changing the structure of the light can effectively keep the photon traveling on a zigzag path, and slow it down.

A photon is a unit of light that cannot be broken up into smaller pieces. However, a light wave technically has multiple components, the researchers said." Livecience


Does this not change "calculations" about "time" in the universe?