LASER VS LASER

[anigma46]

If two identical laser were positioned 10 light minutes apart and fired at each other at the same time,what would happen? Would the light be scattered or just pass through with no interruption and destroy both lasers simultaniously. Just something I've always wanted to know!!!!

 

[nevers]

Are you sure these "Lasers" aren't on a train travelling westbound. And where is the observer positioned in relation to the moment the "Lasers" are fired? I also think there should be something in the question like: "and how many apples would johnny be left with?"<br /><br />Wait! It's a trick question right? There is no such thing as "two identical" lasers!<br /><br />(Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question so I thought I'd make fun of myself instead. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> Good luck with a real answer to your query.)

 

[bbrock]

Nothing would happen. Nothing that is with low power lasers. Amature astronomers do this all the time when we collimate reflector telescopes with laser collimators. Esentially the laser beam is reflected off the primary mirror back off of the secondary and back into the laser source. When the laser point of light is washed (scattered), the beam is coming back to its source and the telescope is collimated. <br /><br />Bill

 

[Saiph]

I ask you, what happens when you shine two lights on the same table? Does the light form one lamp scatter and halt that of the other?<br /><br /><br />Light passes through light, and does not affect the other beam.<br /><br />So you'd end up with two laser beams covering the same area. Depending on various conditions, you'll get an interesting pattern (most likely a shifting, changing one too) where the beams would appear brighter, or darker due to interference.<br /><br />However, the individual beams travel as normal, and would arrive at the other laser at the same time, unhindered or affected by the other beam at all.<br /><br />What happens to the lasers after the beams strike, depends on the laser power. At highpower, you can vaporize the apparatus (really, really high power that is) or merely melt deform parts of it. At low power the worst you're going to get is a break-down in the laser cavity as the incoming beam upsets the sytem and <i>may</i> disrupt the lasing process. Then the laser shuts off. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>