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skyler_on_the_moon t1_j8iwbez wrote

Reply to comment by common_sensei in Light traveling through a medium that slows it. Does the same photon emerge? by TheGandPTurtle

I watched that whole video to see the ping pong ball experiment and am now disappointed.

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common_sensei t1_j8j1l8a wrote

Try it yourself!... although it probably won't work as described.

The wave would mostly regain the speed after the ping pong ball area, but it would be much reduced in height. A lot of energy would be lost to ripples going everywhere. My analogy just serves to illustrate the general concept of particles reacting to the approach and passing of the wave and generating interfering waves of their own.

However, a similar effect can be seen in wave tanks when you change the depth of the water: https://youtu.be/4_VejGC0DMM?t=261

In this case the interfering waves are bouncing from the new lower bottom of the tank, slowing down the wave.

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