Externet Posted May 18, 2005 Posted May 18, 2005 Hi. If a container had a 100% perfect reflective interior, sort of a thermo; could light be stored in it ? Miguel
swansont Posted May 18, 2005 Posted May 18, 2005 Hi.If a container had a 100% perfect reflective interior' date=' sort of a thermo; could light be stored in it ? Miguel[/quote'] How would you get the light in? It's 100% reflective! There are devices called power buildup cavities that store large amounts of optical power, but you need to have a source, because they would quickly empty without one. R=0.999999 seems efficient, but c is large, so the round trip time is small for a reasonable-sized cavity.
biggs Posted May 21, 2005 Posted May 21, 2005 How would you get the light in? It's 100% reflective! what if you have an air tight container with no gas inside, and has 100% reflective surface inside (so no light can get absorbed by the gases), + a device that emits light, like a battery and lightbulb, the battery surface is 100% reflective also, as are all parts (wires lightbulb holder). the lightbulb has no glass bulb, only a fillament that also has a 100% reflective surface. would that hold the light inside after the battery ran out? (if the fillament doesnt burn out or create any soot)
calbiterol Posted May 21, 2005 Posted May 21, 2005 No - it's still all 100% reflective (which, if I'm correct, isn't technically possible) meaning the light from the light bulb will just... not do anything. And it's impossible to have any system that is 100% efficient, or so says my understanding of the laws of thermodynamics. Light is no exception. What use would one have, anyway? Assuming you got the thing to work (which wouldn't happen, no offense, it just wouldn't work), as soon as you opened it, the light would instantly escape - a flash of light so fast that it probly wouldn't even be visible to the human eye.
swansont Posted May 21, 2005 Posted May 21, 2005 And it's impossible to have any system that is 100% efficient, or so says my understanding of the laws of thermodynamics. Light is no exception. Which makes the question moot. You can't ask "what will happen" and expect to use the laws of physics to come up with an answer, if the conditions violate the laws of physics.
drizzt Posted May 21, 2005 Posted May 21, 2005 need to put this in a "does a falling tree make any sounds if there is no one around thread
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