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From: trudel@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (Jonathan D.)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: New discussion
Message-ID: <4138@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Wed, 30-Oct-85 21:43:19 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.4138
Posted: Wed Oct 30 21:43:19 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 07:39:28 EST
References: <353@uw-june.UUCP> <8500013@orstcs.UUCP> <198@ur-tut.UUCP>
Organization: The Thunderdome
Lines: 33
Keywords: speed of light


> >This is called "Cherenkov Radiation,"  and happens all the time.  Often a
> >subatomic particle is moving faster than the speed of light in a medium (for
> >example, the speed of light in water is much less than the speed of light 
> >vacuum -- ever seen a picture of a nuclear reactor with that beautiful
> >sky-blue "radioactive" glow?  That's caused by lots of alpha and beta
> >particles ripping through the water faster than the speed of light.)
> 
> WHAT???  The speed of light in water is much less than the speed of light 
> in a vacuum????  AAAUUUGHH!!  Einstein just rolled over!  I always thought:
> 'The speed of light is the same for all observers, no matter what his 
> frame of reference'...  If what you say is true, then all kinds of phenomena
> would open up simply by exceeding this 'slower' speed in water...  Eek! 
> 

Ah, but you see, what you thought and what is reality are quite different.
The original poster is exactly correct, and you can check your nearest
physics references for its' validity.  Did you ever notice that when you
put a pencil in a glass of water that is seems to bend?  This is due to 
the effect described.  Don't jump to conclusions as to what Einstein says
because it applies to the speed of light through the SAME medium, or

"the speed of light in a vacuum =the speed of light in a vacuum =
the speed of light in a vacuum =the speed of light in a vacuum =
the speed of light in a vacuum =  ... and so on for all observers of that
vacuum.  "
-- 

					   Jonathan D. Trudel
				     arpa: trudel@blue.rutgers.edu
	 			uucp:{seismo,allegra,ihnp4}!topaz!trudel
				Bill: He's hip, he's hot, and he's hairy.
						           -Rolling Stone