I would say that there is a reason why photons cannot be accelerated, and that they must always travel at the speed of light. They can however, be slowed somewhat by the refractive index of the medium through which they pass. This means that where there is no medium (as in the near perfect vacuum of space) the speed of the photon is constant, but that the speed of light through water (for example) would appear to be slower due to the refactive effect that the water has upon light.
What I would like to know is that, given the Hesinberg uncertainty principle, is it possible that photons are incapable of having location.... is this why they always travel at the maximum possible speed?
DG |