answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

A great question. First--It isn't always constant. Light can travel slower than "c" ("the speed of light"). In a perfect vacuum light travels at "c". It's slower in glass, air, water, etc., light can even stop! But "c" is the upper speed limit. Second--Not only light but ANY disturbance in the universe has a speed limit of "c". Even the influence of gravity travels at the speed of light. Third--Einstein didn't just wake up one day with a good idea. The constancy of the speed of light (and relativity in general) explained many curious observations that had been made, and solved many physics problems. Fourth--There have been competing theories that allow a variable "c" but all the experiments indicate that it is indeed a constant value.

User Avatar

Wiki User

βˆ™ 16y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why is light speed always constant?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Does light accelerate?

Light does not accelerate in the traditional sense, as it always travels at a constant speed of approximately 299,792 kilometers per second in a vacuum. This speed is a fundamental constant in physics known as the speed of light.


Can the speed of light be changed?

no. speed of light is always constant . as long as the light stays in the same medium. the speed is generally slightly different in different media.


What is the average constant speed of light in vacuum?

The speed of light in vacuum is 299,792,458 meters per second, and that's not an average. That's what it always is.


Why use constants?

Constant is the speed of light and as the speed of light cannot change it is 'constant'


Does time always move at a constant speed?

The speed of light is always the same as long as it's traveling through the same medium. But its speed is different in different media, and those are all less than its speed in vacuum.


When is the only time that the light waves travel at the speed of light?

Light waves always travel at the speed of light in a vacuum, which is approximately 186,282 miles per second. The speed of light in a vacuum is a constant, regardless of the observer's perspective.


What is light's acceleration if its traveling at a constant speed of 300000 km s?

Light does not accelerate because it always travels at a constant speed in a vacuum, approximately 300,000 kilometers per second. This is the maximum speed that any object can travel in the universe according to the theory of relativity.


What does special relativity say about the speed of light?

The speed of light is constant.


If Light travels in a straight line at a constant speed of 300000 kilometers per second What is the light's acceleration?

Light does not accelerate as it always travels at a constant speed of 300,000 kilometers per second in a straight line, as per the laws of physics. This is because light does not have mass and therefore does not experience acceleration in the same way that objects with mass do.


Can light exceed its normal speed?

No, according to current scientific understanding, light travels at a constant speed in a vacuum, known as the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second. This speed is a fundamental constant of nature and cannot be exceeded by light or any other object.


What causes light to accelerate?

Light does not accelerate. In a vacuum, light always travels at a constant speed of approximately 299,792 kilometers per second, known as the speed of light. It only changes speed when it passes through different mediums.


What is speed that does not change - called?

constant