SPEED OF LIGHT - A UNIVERSAL CONSTANT
Have you ever wondered what is the speed of light ? Well this one of the most interesting questions in the world of Mathematics and Physics . The speed of light in vaccum is a fundamental constant . The most interesting fact about this speed is that if an object moves with this speed in one frame, it has the same speed in any other frame. This the key fact on which the special theory of relativity is based . The speed of light is defined to be exactly 299,792,458 m/s. Perhaps the first attempt to measure the speed of light was made by Galileo . Two experimenter A and B, each having a lantern and a shutter, stands on two small hills. The shutter can cover or uncover the lantern. Initially, both the lanterns are covered . One of the persons A uncovers his lantern. The second person B uncovers his lantern when he sees the light from the lantern of A. The first person A covers his lantern when he sees the light from the lantern of B. The time elapsed bet