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As you know, there is a maximum speed things can go called $c$, the "speed of light." Light in a vacuum goes $c$. Light in the atmosphere, however, goes a little less than $c$.

My question is: what effect does wind have on light's velocity? Simply adding the wind's velocity to light's would not even be remotely close, since a 10 mph tail wind would probably push it over $c$.

3 Answers3

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If the air is not moving, we know the light moves at a speed $v=c/n$, where $n$ in the index of refraction of the air. Now if the air is moving at a speed $u$ relative to you, and the light is propagating in the same direction, then you can find the apparent speed of light by the relative addition of velocities formula. In this case, you will find the apparent speed of light to be $$\frac{v+u}{1+\dfrac{uv}{c^2}}. $$

Brian Moths
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Two things:

  1. Medium motion does 'drag' speed of light. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-dragging_effects
  2. Speeds of medium and c are not linearly added. Use Lorentz Transformation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation
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the only way to find out is with an experiment, and no such interferometer exists. although how about recording he speed of light, then putting a hight speed gush through the lad - like a hurricane? And then see.

hywel
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