The Speed of Light is Maximum in which of the following Mediums? A) Air B) Glass C) Vacuum D) Water
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: September 11th, 2023
The speed of light is maximum in a vacuum. The speed of light in Vaccum is 3*108 m/s. The speed of light depends upon the refractive index of the medium in which it is traveling. The speed of light is inversely proportional to the refractive index of the medium. The lower the refractive index of the medium, the higher the speed of light is, and vice versa. If the medium that the light is traveling is denser, it results in a decrease in the speed of light.
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Maximum Speed of Light in Which Medium
The speed of light is always the fastest in a vacuum, followed by air. No intermediary is needed for the light to go from one place to another. The fact that a vacuum is a completely obstruction-free medium for the movement of light results in a vacuum moving faster than air, which raises the refractive index of air. The symbol for it is c. Following the speed of light is this order:-
Vacuum> Air> Water> Glass
As the Vacuum is the clearer medium for the light to travel without any hindrances, the speed of light is the most in Vacuum.
- The velocity of light in a rarer medium is greater than its velocity in any denser medium.
- No object can move faster than the speed of light, claims the special theory of relativity.
- The distance is also calculated using the speed of light.
- When we say a star is one light-year distant, we mean it will take one year for light to travel there.
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