>But what I'd like to know is how does that "constant
>except when..." speed have any relation to the energy of matter? In
>other words E=3DMC^2 which is based on the speed of light traveling
>through a vacuum, which is a medium.
well, we say "c" is a contant but velocity of a mass is not. To be
more precise.. mass will INCREASE when traveling at relativitical
speeds such that it will be m/sqrt(1-V^2/c^2). Notice that if V
comes close to 'c' then the mass will grow infinately! Of course
this is only true for the observer! LOL So E=3Dmc^2 is a relativistic
energy where as 1/2mV^2 is a kinetic energy only true though for
V^2<<c^2. believe me.. it all works out in math and experiments
have shown it also to be true.
> Now I am definitely not a Physicist and I may be totally out to
>lunch here but shouldn't that apply to other things like the speed of
>sound? Maybe I'm comparing apples to oranges but isn't the speed of
>sound, light, or for that matter anything moving through a medium,
>dependant on the medium it is traveling through?
True, speed of sound also travels slower in mediums but again in a
vaccum is the fastest that sound will travel. Now frequency is another
quality which you maybe referring to. Doupler Effect! =20
> So lets take the old man on the train example again but in this =
case
>we have a train moving faster than the speed of sound. He yells to the
>front end of the train. From the old mans point of reference =
everything
>is normal, and his voice was heard at the other end of the train
>normally. If an outside observer could see the sound waves would he =
see
>them and measure them as going faster than the speed of sound?
Ever hear a train or car go by? ZZzzzzooommm Higher frequency when
it is coming at you then lower as it passes? That is the doupler =
effect.
This is also true for Electromagnetic waves.. even Lasers! Take the
latest police radar.. doupler laser! Still it travels at a speed of
'C' through the eather.. in our permittivity =EB (free space). Oh
and also you might find 1/(c^2 x =EB) interesting cause it
equals permeability, =FB, of free space. Take coax cable for example
with a permittivity >=EB. The EM waves travels slower then 'c' in
the cable.
> The other paradox in my mind is that the speed of light is =
obviously
>NOT constant so how could any calculations using that formula work out
>even remotely correct?
Speed of light in a vacuum is contant, but velocity of light in other
substances are slower than 'c'.
v/r Ken Carrigan