posted on Apr, 2 2011 @ 05:02 PM
reply to post by mike365
The speed of light in a given medium is inversely proportional to permittivity multiplied by permeability. Permittivity is the ability of the medium
to sustain an electric field. Permeability is the ability of the medium to sustain a magnetic field.
Specifically,
c = 1/sqrt(ue)
where,
c is the speed of light
u is the permeability
e is the permittivity
A vacuum has both the lowest possible u and e values, so it has the highest possible c value. Other media have higher values of u and e, which
decreases the speed of light through them.
Light doesn't really speed up once it enters a medium with a lower refractive index, as if it's a physical object travelling through the different
media. Rather, the light is able to self-propagate faster, due to the new medium's greater ability to sustain electric and magnetic fields.