So when light travels through a denser medium than air it slows

I would say you shouldn't think of a photon as just moving slower. In the wave picture, light is an oscillating magnetic and electric field. Once the wave hits the material, such as glass, the electric field oscillates the electrons, which in turn emit light waves. So I would say that index of refraction, which determines the speed of light, is related to the oscillation time of the electrons. If the material has a configuration such that electrons cannot oscillate with ease, then light gets emitted at a slower rate, which appears to be travelling slower.

>>7732896
Ohh okay this makes sense, thanks anon

No they're not gaining energy. Nor are they losing energy when they enter the glass.

>>7732896
This isnt really true. Because the quanta of each atom is different. Meaning, a different typ of glass, should not refract the same as the former glass. Because of their difference in absorption. Meaning, some light should pass unhinderd.

the way i see it, is think of a race track with multiple cars

>each car color is representing the color spectrum.
>each car are moving equally the same speed.
>then along comes the "mud/snow" or the "glass"
>each car may be going at the same speed, but the "design of each car" or the "wavelengths of the light" are different from one another
>which sets the cars into different positions from one another, instead of equally head to head.

so if you were to see the line up from the side, you would only see the car infront of you, say the white car, then after the snow/mud, you see the full spectrum of cars.

just an idea i had, not sure if it's sound.

>>7733023

Different types of glass DON'T refract the same, and neither do different frequencies through the same material.

If by "quanta of each atom" you're talking about energy levels of electron shells, that's not what other anon is talking about. The atoms themselves oscillate as dipoles. There is no actual absorption going on.

>>7733122
The most probable property determning the opaque of a material is its Phononic state, which allows the wave-length to pass through. IF the oscillation arnt right, the light gets absorbed and scattered, thus making the material paque.

>7732889
If you want to think of things in terms of E = hv, then v doesn't change, the wavelength is the one changing, and that's what causes the decrease in speed (from c = lv).

Photons are vonserving energy, not gaining.

Theres no transfer of energy through a medium like glass, thats why glass is transparent.

>>7733177
>no transfer of energy .. why glass is transparent
It's getting cold, isn't it?

>>7733060
>>7733165
The oscillating electrons are the only true answer. Do you understand that your "frequency is the same, lambda is constant so c must change, hurr" argument does not explain anything. You are just spewing random facts. The example with the cars is just that. What does it explain? Absolutely nothing. As Feynman said: "you can know the specie of a bird in every language of the world, but that tells absolutely nothing about the bird itself". Stop spewing facts about the phenomena and pretending to know how it works please.

I'm >>7732896 and >>7733148 is right as far as I can recall. Phonons determine whether the object will be opaque to light or not.

>>7732889

It's complicated, see

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiHN0ZWE5bk

>>7733285
Why does glass reflect some of the light and let some of it through?

>>7734817
(Seemingly) Probabilistic behaviors.

Look into quantum electrodynamics.