Q:
What Is the Speed of Light Traveling Through Air?
A:
Quick Answer
The speed of light when traveling through air is roughly 670,398,880 miles per hour. This number can be determined by dividing the speed of light in a vacuum by the index of refraction of air.
Continue ReadingFull Answer
The speed of light in a vacuum is equal to 670,600,000 miles per hour. The fastest medium in which light can travel is through no matter, which is a vacuum. Any matter slows light down, but the degree to which is slows light is determined by the medium itself. The index of refraction of air is 1.0003, which is substantially lower than solids or liquids.
Learn more about Optics & WavesSources:
Related Questions
-
Q:
How Fast Does Sound Travel Through Water?
A: Sound travels through water at a speed of around 3316 miles per hour or 1.482 kilometers per second. That is about 4.3 times faster than sound travels thro... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
How Fast Is the Speed of Light?
A: When light travels in a vacuum, its speed is 186,282 miles per second. The fastest aircraft, which is the Boeing-43 scramjet, has a speed of 7,546 miles pe... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Causes Light Refraction?
A: Refraction is caused by light passing from one medium to another (from air to water, for example) and experiencing a change in speed. A fisherman looking i... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Is the Speed of Light in Miles Per Hour?
A: The speed of light in a vacuum is measured at 186,282 miles per second, which is 670,616,629 miles per hour. The speed of light is denoted mathematically b... Full Answer >Filed Under:
