Philosophy

Friday, May 06, 2005

 

Physics: Mechanics: Fundamental Constants

The speed of light in a vacuum is exactly 299,792,458 meters per second, or 1,079,252,849 kilometers per hour for all observers. Alternatively, light (electromagnetic radiation) travels exactly 670616629.5 miles through space every hour. The speed of light is denoted by c.
Faster than light?
It is possible for the group velocity of light to exceed c. One experiment made the group velocity of laser beams travel for extremely short distances through caesium atoms at 300 times c (89,937,737,400 meters per second/55884719.12 miles per second/201,184,988,800 mph), but it is not possible to use this technique to transfer information faster than c. Although experiments indicate that the phase velocity of evanescent waves may exceed c; it seems that neither the group velocity nor the front velocity exceed c; hence, it is not possible for information to be transmitted faster than c.
A common topic in science fiction is the ability to communicate or travel faster-than-light, also known as superluminal communication. Physicists have propsed particles that travel faster than light, called tachyons, but such particles have yet to be observed.

Planck's constant

Gravitational Constant

Electronic Charge

Strong Coupling Constant

Electroweak Coupling Constant
Electromagnetic Coupling Constant or Fine Structure Constant
Weak Coupling Constant

Rest Masses

Cosmological Constant









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