How many times greater is the speed of infrared light (λ = 800 nm) than the speed of violet light (λ = 400 nm)?
How many times greater is the speed of infrared light (λ = 800 nm) than the speed of violet light (λ = 400 nm) in a vacuum?
a) 2
b) 1/2
c) 1; that is, both have the same speed.
d) 400
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c
OK, Nan, here's your very very...very important lesson for the day.
The speed of light in a vacuum is invariant no matter what the source and observer are, or what they are doing. That is to say, C, the speed of light is always...always C...period.
So it's C when IR and C when it's violet. It's also C when it's any color in the rainbow and C when the wavelengths fall outside that of visible light.
So the speed of the IR is V(IR) = C because the speed of light is always C no matter what.
And the speed of violet is V(V) = C because.......
And to answer your question, V(IR)/V(V) = C/C = 1. ANS c. Because the speed of light is always....?
[See source for a bonus question.]