what faster electricity or light ?

[the-Unexpected-Soul]

1- if we have a wire connected from earth to the moon

2- and a big light projector on earth that it's light could be seen from the moon

and we closed the circuit for both at the same time (using the same button)

which will reach first to the moon ? the electricity or the light ?

[ROGER]

The light would get there first.

The resistance of the wire would slow down the electricity, which other wise travels at the same speed. 186'000 MPS.

[S2F]

I've done a little research and the light would reach the moon first. Ideally electricity travels at the speed of light but if it is running through a wire then there is resistance depending on what the wire is made of (I believe). If there was a way to get electricity to move without resistance then they (theoretically) would reach the moon at the same time. Strangely enough I learned something here by looking up this information.

Here is a link to some info about it but it's a heavy read.

http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/miscon/speed.html

LOL you beat me to it Roger

Edited September 11, 2008 by Slave2Fate

[group67]

even if the there was no resistance slowing down the elctricity then it still wouldnt be able to go faster than the speed of light.

[badeskov]

even if the there was no resistance slowing down the elctricity then it still wouldnt be able to go faster than the speed of light.

Indeed. The conductivity (or resistance) of the wire has nothing to do with it. It is the relative permittivity of the wire that governs the velocity.

Cheers,

Badeskov

[group67]

relative permitiitvity, never heard of it. please explain?

is it to do with the wire itself not being able to transport the electricity that fast?

[Jaguat]

Light is faster than electricity. Case closed. ( unless they find a SUPER SUPER Conductor! )

[Emma_Acid]

Light is faster than electricity. Case closed. ( unless they find a SUPER SUPER Conductor! )

Well, no. You can't go faster than the speed of light.

[group67]

wouldnt the only way for electicity to match the speed of light to be actually using light as electricity (no im not talking about solar panels), actually sending light through electrical powerboards and appliances. or is this just to far ahead our scientists at this stage.

[ROGER]

wouldn't the only way for electricity to match the speed of light to be actually using light as electricity (no im not talking about solar panels), actually sending light through electrical power boards and appliances. or is this just to far ahead our scientists at this stage.

Now don't laugh, I graduated H.S. in 1972. Light is a charged PHOTON? Electricity are charged Electrons?

Yet they send light through Fiber Optic Cable that is then converted to Electrical energy at the receiving or service end that gives us faster internet and more digital information than dose a standard wire connection.

Ok, Now I need a High School Science Student to tell me if I have this RIGHT!

[NeoGenesis]

Now don't laugh, I graduated H.S. in 1972. Light is a charged PHOTON? Electricity are charged Electrons?

Yet they send light through Fiber Optic Cable that is then converted to Electrical energy at the receiving or service end that gives us faster internet and more digital information than dose a standard wire connection.

Ok, Now I need a High School Science Student to tell me if I have this RIGHT!

Well ROGER you are right on the part of sending light preferably infrared laser light through a fiber optic cable.But the light is only used to open and close contacts in light sensitive circuits on a circuit board on the service end.The electricity however is supplied on the service end to.

I will give you a 50% in that one

Cheers.

[ROGER]

Darn, only a C . Now my 71 year old Dad wont let me barrow the car!

[group67]

so what your saying is they can use light as a part of a circuit using special fibre optics, but they cant actually use it as electricity. see i was talking about a whole new level where someone makes a computer how you turn your bedside light on and it turns on the computer. i just meant because if light was electricity there would be far less resisitance if any. i think.

[Harte]

Now don't laugh, I graduated H.S. in 1972. Light is a charged PHOTON? Electricity are charged Electrons?

Yet they send light through Fiber Optic Cable that is then converted to Electrical energy at the receiving or service end that gives us faster internet and more digital information than dose a standard wire connection.

Ok, Now I need a High School Science Student to tell me if I have this RIGHT!

Well ROGER you are right on the part of sending light preferably infrared laser light through a fiber optic cable.But the light is only used to open and close contacts in light sensitive circuits on a circuit board on the service end.The electricity however is supplied on the service end to.

I will give you a 50% in that one

Cheers.

A-HA! I've located the source of grade inflation!

Actually, Roger has the photon wrong as well. A photon is not a charged particle. A photon is the "messenger" particle that carries the EM force from one charged particle to the next.

So, sorry Roger, you get a 45% and that ain't no C, pal.

Harte

[ROGER]

Composition: Elementary particle

Family: Boson

Group: Gauge boson

Interaction: Electromagnetic

Theorized: Albert Einstein (1905–17)

Symbol: ? or h?

Mass: 0[1]

Mean lifetime: Stable[2]

Electric charge: 0

Spin: 1[3]

From Wikipedia: Recently, photons have been studied as elements of quantum computers and for sophisticated applications in optical communication such as quantum cryptography.

Your right! I guess a fella my age can only TRY to keep up. Mr. Spock made it look SO easy!

[NeoGenesis]

so what your saying is they can use light as a part of a circuit using special fibre optics, but they cant actually use it as electricity. see i was talking about a whole new level where someone makes a computer how you turn your bedside light on and it turns on the computer. i just meant because if light was electricity there would be far less resisitance if any. i think.

Group67 that will unfortunately in any way not be capable of doing as electricity can not be transmitted to a place such as light because both have different properties to one another and governed by natural law of physics they are not permitted to conduct or move through space in the same way.

Hope that solves you problem .

Cheers

Edited September 11, 2008 by NeoGenesis

[group67]

cool thanx

[AlexG]

Besides, electrons have mass. Having mass means never having to travel at the speed of light. Only photons can do that trick.

[Copasetic]

Indeed. The conductivity (or resistance) of the wire has nothing to do with it. It is the relative permittivity of the wire that governs the velocity.

Cheers,

Badeskov

relative permitiitvity, never heard of it. please explain?

is it to do with the wire itself not being able to transport the electricity that fast?

Permittivity in physics, very simply means a media's ability to transmit an electric field. Where as electrical resistance is a measure of a materials ability to resist current. So permittivity to the actual charge carriers (electrons, or positrons or ions) determines the velocity at which they move.