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light-cone

In special as well as in general relativity, the speed of light sets the upper limit for the transmission of influences and signals. Thus, studying the propagation of light, one can find out for an event A which other events can influence A, which can be influenced by A, and where any influence is impossible (because such influence would have to travel faster than light – cf. causal structure). Graphically, the boundary between the two sets of events where influence is possible or impossible has the form of a double cone (for a sketch, see the page Spacetime in the chapter Special relativity of Elementary Einstein). It is formed by all world-lines of hypothetical light signals that would be emitted at the event A or, coming from an arbitrary direction, would be absorbed there.

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light

Light in the strict sense of the word is electromagnetic radiation the human eye can detect, with wave-lengths between 400 and 700 nano metres. In relativity theory and in astronomy, the word is often used in a more general sense, encompassing all kinds of electromagnetic radiation. For instance, astronomers might talk about "infrared light" or "gamma light"; in this context, light in the stricter sense is referred to as "visible light". Within classical physics, the properties of light are governed by Maxwell's equations; in quantum physics, it turns out that light is a stream of energy packets called light quanta or photons. In the context of relativistic physics, light is of great interest, and for a number of reasons. First of all, the speed of light plays a central role in both special and general relativity. Also, there are a number of interesting effects in general relativity which are associated with the propagation of light, namely deflection, the Shapiro effect and the gravitational redshift.

event

In the context of special or general relativity: Anything that is defined by a single point in time and a single point in space, i.e. something that happens at a definite time at a definite location. Synonym: spacetime point.

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light-cone

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