How long does it take light to travel through a 3.2mm -thick piece of window glass?

t=x/c

t=3.2*10^-3/ 3*10^8 = 1.06*10-11 sec

To calculate how long it takes light to travel through a 3.2mm-thick piece of window glass, we need to consider the speed of light and the distance it needs to travel.

The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second (m/s). However, light travels slightly slower through different materials, including glass.

To find the time it takes for light to travel through the window glass, we can divide the thickness of the glass by the speed of light in that material.

1. Find the speed of light in window glass: The refractive index of window glass is typically around 1.5. To account for this, we divide the speed of light in a vacuum by the refractive index of the glass:
Speed of light in glass = Speed of light in a vacuum / Refractive index of glass

2. Calculate the time it takes for light to travel through the glass: Divide the thickness of the window glass by the speed of light in the glass:
Time = Thickness of glass / Speed of light in glass

Let's calculate it step-by-step:

1. Speed of light in glass:
Speed of light in a vacuum = 299,792,458 m/s
Refractive index of glass = 1.5 (approximate)

Speed of light in glass = 299,792,458 m/s / 1.5 ≈ 199,861,639 m/s

2. Time for light to travel through the glass:
Thickness of glass = 3.2 mm = 0.0032 m

Time = 0.0032 m / 199,861,639 m/s ≈ 1.601 x 10^-8 seconds

Therefore, it takes light approximately 1.601 x 10^-8 seconds (or 16.01 nanoseconds) to travel through a 3.2mm-thick piece of window glass.