Does A Prism Imply An Aether Field Exists?

[munty13]

I'm trying to imagine what happens to light as it passes through a prism. It is thought that the speed of light 'slows down' inside the prism. Perhaps light does not slow down at all. I think this could be an illusion that infers the existence of an aether field.

The visible spectrum begins with the shorter wavelengths of violet at 400 nm. So we are saying that violet light travels 400 billionths of a meter, about 400 million million times a second (400 terahertz). The wavelength of light is inversely proportional to frequency.

Current thinking is that upon entering a new medium (such as glass or water from air) the speed and wavelength of light is reduced, although the frequency remains unaltered. The speed of light travelling through window glass is around 120,000 miles per second, and I shall use this same speed for the light passing through the prism. 120,000 miles per second is two thirds the speed of light in a vacuum. If the frequency remains at 400 terahertz, then the slower moving violet light shall form wavelengths which are one third shorter - that's something like 266 nm; but this is the size of shortwave UV light and it's outside the visible spectrum!

The angles of refraction infer that the light which appears as violet inside the prism, is the exact same which emerges once again into the medium of the air. The violet light, once outside the prism, is restored to its normal speed (around 180,000 miles per second) - but with no obvious change in its wavelength or frequency.

If the wavelength and frequency of the light has remained the same, then it must be the velocity at which the wave propagates that has changed. A change in velocity would have to be enforced by a change in the speed of light, but then, it has been shown that the speed of light does not actually differ inside the prism. I think an illusion is taking place that makes it appear as if light slows down. Rather than the speed of light slowing down, perhaps it is the medium through which light travels that is being stretched.

Science dictates that the mechanism by which a light wave is transported through a medium occurs in a manner which is similar to the way that any other wave is transported - by particle -to -particle interaction.

I struggle with this current theory. Light travels just fine through a vacuum without being passed from atom to atom. Is it possible that light is actually propagating through a medium that is inside the vacuum : the aether field? If light travels through a vacuum, why would it choose to switch travel plans in a medium (such as glass or water), and instead travel from atom to vibrating atom? What illusion is taking place that makes it appear as if light is slowing down inside the prism? One possible explanation is that if the speed of light does not change inside the prism, then it is the aether field which is being stretched.

I should explain this next bit with a diagram, but I plain don't know how to, so please bear with me. Draw a U-shape. Now draw a triangle shape with the U in the centre. The triangle is your prism. A simple line to denote white light moving from outside to inside the prism is enough. Once inside, the white light is dispersed, so we shall draw frantic shortwave frequencies to denote the violet end of the spectrum - these travel not in a straight line through the prism, but follow the shape of the U - until you are out the other side of the prism. Okay, so next-up is red light moving through the prism and following the shape of the U. Red has a longer wavelength, and lower frequency than violet, and it travels much faster around the U than the higher frequencies of violet.

The 'U' represents the aether field. I am proposing that inside the prism the aether field is being distorted. This would explain why the shorter wavelengths of violet appear to travel faster inside the prism than the longer wavelengths of red. It's an illusion. Violet does not travel faster than red, it simply takes longer to cover the same distance. It would also imply that the higher frequencies are more affected by a distortion in the aether field. Perhaps the prism has created a 'cold energy sink' in the aether field for all the world to see.

[austintorn@aol.com]

Electromagnetic energy is self-renewing, taking on a life of its own as the changing electric gives rise to the changing magnetic which then gives rise to the changing electric, etc., the photon being created and destroyed over and over again.

It can travel a very long distance this way without needing any aether as a wave medium. Ironically, one can now have it as forming an aether itself.

Where its influence ends, if it ever does, space ends.

[munty13]

Hi austintorn. Thanks for reading.

"Electromagnetic energy is self-renewing....It can travel a very long distance this way without needing any aether as a wave medium. Ironically, one can now have it as forming an aether itself."

It's possible that we are surrounded by magnetic energy, but its vibration is virtually imperceptible. This magnetic energy is often referred to as the aether.

Electrostatic energy could thereby be the result of heavier vibrations in the aether. These vibrations emerge as matter, and EMR.

"....taking on a life of its own as the changing electric gives rise to the changing magnetic which then gives rise to the changing electric,...."

Well, I think the aether would start to explain the relationship between magnetic and electric fields. An electric field could be a disturbance in the magnetic field.

[austintorn@aol.com]

It might surf the 4-dimensional hypersea postulated in the olden days.