[monkeyshine]

I'm wondering if a wave can go faster than the speed of light in short bursts. I am a total layman when it comes to physics, but isn't light made up of both particles and waves? Is the first emitted light particle (wave?) also the first to arrive?

[vannrox]

"...but isn't light made up of both particles and waves?


Actually it is neither. It is a totally different kind of object. Depending on the application, scientists find that it is easier to understand by concentrating on it's particle attributes, or inversely on it's wave attributes. This is a really handy thing to keep in mind.


The use of the visualization aids of waves vrs. particles have a tendency for us to lean on them and forget that they are nothing than a visulation tool.

[Mikey]

"...but isn't light made up of both particles and waves? Is the first emitted light particle (wave?) also the first to arrive?"

I heard/read the same thing somewhere where light behaves like a particle and a wave. Maybe its a particle-wave?

I'm also a layman when it comes to physics, I just find science interesting and enjoy reading and understanding what little I can, so all you scientists out there in Freeperland don't flame me to bad.