3 ms·
> A neutrino interaction with the electrons or nuclei of water can produce an electron or positron that moves faster than the speed of light in water, which is
by dghughes 5y ago
> A neutrino interaction with the electrons or nuclei of water can produce an electron or positron that moves faster than the speed of light in water, which is slower than the speed of light in a vacuum.
This is the important but I think confusing part for many people.
The electron/positron is not moving "faster than light" (nothing can) it is moving faster "than the light" in that specific medium (water).
- tialaramex 5y agoIt is moving faster than light, but c, the "speed of light" constant, is only called that because it's the speed of light in a vacuum and water isn't a vacuum. The constant c is actually a fundamental constant of our universe relating spatial and temporal dimensions, which is why going faster isn't possible (that's time travel) but the velocity of photons in one medium or another is just an observable fact like the viscosity of a particular brand of jam.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]