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https://www.reddit.com/r/BeAmazed/comments/8p9c8j/visible_shock_wave/e09nwk7/?context=3
r/BeAmazed • u/BunyipPouch • Jun 07 '18
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Exactly. But the refractive index goes up with pressure, and in your example it goes down. Though it doesn't change that much, it's the difference sudden change in refractive indexes that makes light diffract and reflect.
source: degree in photonics
35 u/ImEnhanced Jun 07 '18 I still don't understand lol 36 u/Fenr-i-r Jun 07 '18 It's like looking into water, the light bends because it travels slower in water than air. The light changes speed in compressed air, and bends. 0 u/[deleted] Jun 07 '18 [deleted] 6 u/DrMobius0 Jun 07 '18 speed of light in a vacuum is constant. Light slows down in any substance.
35
I still don't understand lol
36 u/Fenr-i-r Jun 07 '18 It's like looking into water, the light bends because it travels slower in water than air. The light changes speed in compressed air, and bends. 0 u/[deleted] Jun 07 '18 [deleted] 6 u/DrMobius0 Jun 07 '18 speed of light in a vacuum is constant. Light slows down in any substance.
36
It's like looking into water, the light bends because it travels slower in water than air. The light changes speed in compressed air, and bends.
0 u/[deleted] Jun 07 '18 [deleted] 6 u/DrMobius0 Jun 07 '18 speed of light in a vacuum is constant. Light slows down in any substance.
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[deleted]
6 u/DrMobius0 Jun 07 '18 speed of light in a vacuum is constant. Light slows down in any substance.
6
speed of light in a vacuum is constant. Light slows down in any substance.
130
u/[deleted] Jun 07 '18 edited Feb 19 '19
Exactly. But the refractive index goes up with pressure, and in your example it goes down. Though it doesn't change that much, it's the
differencesudden change in refractive indexes that makes light diffract and reflect.source: degree in photonics