A question on the LIGHT
If a spark is created at center of hallow spherical mirror just for a fraction of a second, will the internal space of the hallow sphere will glow eternally?
A light ray from a source continuously travels until it is blocked by an opaque object or dimmed by dust particles. The nearest star Alpha Centauri is 4.37 light years away. Galaxies are millions, billions & trillion light years away and we receive light. So once the light ray started to travel it will be on its constant travel even if the source moves away from the position or otherwise stops glowing.
Let us create a perfect hallow bubble out of glass and if silvering process is done on the exterior surface so as to make inside of the bubble is a spherical mirror.
If a spark is created at center of hallow spherical mirror just for a fraction of a second, will the internal space of the hallow sphere will glow eternally as the light started at center will travel in all directions from the center and will be reflected back as a non stop process eternally?
Update:
Johnka, i understand the equipment for observation will diminish the light. but in absence of anything inside whether it will glow eternally?
Update 2:
Destiny,
i will wait for Hector’s views on the question. i thank you for your efforts.
Update 3:
oklatonola,
in the car head light when the bulb is taken out the glow is very low like a candle. where as the same bulb in the headlight assembly, enclosed by a small reflector back is glowing very bright. this gives a notion that the reflector enhances the light. please comment.
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✅ Answers
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Hi Veers, I have to admit that this is an interesting question, but the answer is not as simple as the question.
There are 2 cases, one is general, rather say practical case, which everyone has considered that energy, will be lost and all that stuff, other one is speculative, rather say theoretical case.
Okay, first sorry for being little abrupt, but doesn’t matter whatever case you consider, you will now know that the hallow sphere is glowing or not, because as you said the mirror is polished from outside so there is no way to observe the glow as light does not comes out.
But, okay that’s not the case, either by this or that way, we can find out that it is glowing or not.
So, the first case, we start with the sphere, light glows, okay, the photons starts from center go to the hit the surface, come back. Here, as others also pointed some energy will get converted into heat, when they strike the surface, also reflection cannot be 1%, & this is just the cause that those photons which are not reflected heats up the material.
Now as they approach center again, they collide to get reflected again, but wait, not only that collision will cause energy loss, but there is something more.
As photons have no charge in ground state, but the fluctuations vary with upper limits of 5×10−52 C,
(http://pdg.lbl.gov/25/tables/gxxx.pdf)
(Bound on the Photon Charge from the Phase Coherence of Extragalactic Radiation by Brett Altschul Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 261801 (27))
So, there is also a probability that they are also repelled in some particular case (but it’s not a likely case). So, the energy will be lost at that collision and will continue like this until system gets equilibrium.
For second case, the theoretical one, which I think you, had in your mind while asking question.
We consider a isolated system, and we assume that there is no constraint on the photons motion, and no other forces are acting, but as we have an isolated system, how will you created the spark? Will now that violate our own assumption?
Anyways, let’s say we created spark anyhow (quantum mechanics say we can have something out of nothing), so in this case, as there is nothing that will cease the energy the process will continue forever, until some quantum thing gets in our way, to interrupt the cycle without any reason.
…..HOPE THIS HELPS……
Opps- very good Imagination ! Theoretically it may appear that he sphere will glow for ever (or eternally ! ) But practically not ! The source and the detector will hamper the reflection ! There has to be perfect zero air / vacuum inside the Sphere, the surface of the Sphere has to be extremely thin so that no aberration is crated, The reflections from Various sides will interfere with each other. Lastly nothing is eternal in this Universe ! !
No, it will not glow eternally, because every time it is reflected, some energy will be absorbed by the reflecting material and/or the material the reflecting material( usually a silver compound) is applied to. Energy is always conserved, so each time the light is reflected it loses more energy, as the light energy is transferred to the reflecting chemical compounds, or the chemical compounds the reflecting material supports..
God created daylight on the first day of creation, but there was no sun, just light. Then on day four He created the sun to GOVERN the daylight. It’s kind of like in 3-D animation software, when you start creating something it starts off with a default light where everything is lit up. But then you can actually create a light, and from that point on you will only be able to see the subjects that light is shining on. Then you can create cool lighting effects and shadows. God first created the light that just came from who knows where. But then He created the sun and made it to where all daylight now comes from the sun.
The answer would be yes if no energy was lost at the reflection. In fact a reflected image is always slightly dimmer than the original with some heat energy produced at the reflection.
Even if it was perfect, how would you know. No light would be emitted. Any measuring instrument would absorb energy and the light would get dimmer.
Yes its possible theoroticaly but bit impractical. The light ray(actualy photons) wil tend to loose energy by transfering heat to the surface(atoms) it collide n gradually diminish.
There also possibility of interference n formation of band pattern acc. to em wave theory…
Source(s): i m also looking for answer to this ques. for years…hope sum1 answers it satifactorily…
nice ques. *
yes the internal mirror will go on eternally.
Even if there is energy/intensity loss at each reflection,multiple images will be formed for image of each point at opposite side of the mirror.
Hence most probably a chaos will occur !!!
My dear Veers….
First of all I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your (inspiring) answer….It truly touched my heart & soul and you can be so thankful to your precious Dad for allowing you such an excellent education, which is “the key to success”!!! Also I’d like to “utter” my deepest respect for your altruistic ambition which is so remarkable and impressed me “to the bone”…-smile-
However….now I have to disappoint you, honey, but…I was (and still am) a total ZERO when it comes to Physics, Chemistry and Math….I honestly admit, that these subjects never interested me and I barely “passed the courses” (with below average grades). I was never very “scientific” and just had much more compassion for “social subjects” like Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, etc. (and languages were my favorites)…-smile- But: I shall “forward” your Q. to a good friend of mine, who’s an “expert” on such a Q. and a wizard on analytical questions and all those scientific things which I lack completely…-smile- His name is “Hector” and I am certain, he’ll be able to answer this with expertise….-smile-
Leaving you with my sincere best wishes for your excellent “project” and all my respect for such an honour-worthy intent from which numerous people will benefit ! You are “my male version” of “Mother Theresa”….-smile- Send you all my love, care and admiration…Annette**
what ever you creat on earth cannot equal to vaccume, where light would travel with no obstruction., there would be energy transform and light would start to diminish. of course but after a very long time.but not infinitely.
it may be for few seconds or minutes…bcoz mirror also absorbs some light so it will be over after some time……