Lights illuminate surfaces superluminally
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2016
Abstract
© 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd. When a light bulb is turned on, light moves away from it at speed c, by definition. When light from this bulb illuminates a surface, however, this illumination front is not constrained to move at speed c. A simple proof is given that this illumination front always moves faster than c. Generalized, when any compact light source itself varies, this information spreads across all of the surfaces it illuminates at speeds faster than light.
Publication Title
Physics Education
Recommended Citation
Nemiroff, R.,
Zhong, Q.,
&
Lilleskov, E.
(2016).
Lights illuminate surfaces superluminally.
Physics Education,
51(4).
http://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9120/51/4/043005
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/9583