Astrophysics/Light

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Question
Why light bend when it goes from one medium to another medium? What is meant by spin of particle

Answer
Light changes direction because the parts of the wave which reach the medium first slow down.  If it's at an angle, this causes a change in direction.  Hyperphysics has a good description.  http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr.html  

Spin is kinda just what it sounds like, particles have an intrinsic angular momentum, a property of the particles themselves.  This is spin, the angular momentum which can have its direction altered, but is part of the particle and always present.  You can't "stop" spin.

Astrophysics

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Steve Nelson

Expertise

Fusion, solar flares, cosmic rays, radiation in space, and stellar physics questions. Generally, nuclear-related astrophysics, but I can usually point you in the right direction if it's not nuclear-related or if it's nuclear but not astrophysics.

Experience

Currently a physics professor at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Doctoral dissertation was on a reaction in CNO-cycle fusion, worked in gamma-ray astronomy in the space science division of the naval research laboratory in the high-energy space environment branch.

Organizations
Physics professor at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in physics, research was on nuclear fusion reactions important in stellar fusion.

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