3 ms·

I say you are incorrect. Read this: http://physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae509.cfm http://physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae509.cfm Here is a relevant pi

I say you are incorrect. Read this: http://physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae509.cfm http://physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae509.cfm Here is a relevant piece: When light enters a material, photons are absorbed by the atoms in that material, increasing the energy of the atom. The atom will then lose energy after some tiny fraction of time, emitting a photon in the process. This photon, which is identical to the first, travels at the speed of light until it is absorbed by another atom and the process repeats. The delay between the time that the atom absorbs the photon and the excited atom releases as photon causes it to appear that light is slowing down.

RickHull 15y ago
> The delay between the time that the atom absorbs the photon and the excited atom releases as photon causes it to appear that light is slowing down. If the photon is traveling less D over the same amount of T, I am ok with saying the velocity is lower, and it has slowed down.
- eavc 15y ago
  But equating decrease in velocity with "slowing down" would be confusing for most laypeople, at least. Nobody would say that they slowed down if they increased their speed as they went through a turn.
- afiler 15y ago
  "Well, actually, no, officer, I wasn't speeding. You see, while you clocked me at 90mph [c] between toll booths [atoms], once you factor in time at the booth, you'll see that I am actually driving much more slowly."