A neutral aluminum pie tin is brought near and touched to a
positively-charged metal sphere.

speed of light in vacuum is 300,000 km/s

speed of light in other mediums is given by the expression v = c/n, where c is the speed of light in vacuum and n is the refractive index of medium.

for the first medium v = 200,000 km/s

  so, refractive index of medium = 300000/200000 = 1.5

    1.5 refractive index is usually for glass. so first medium is glass.

for the second medium v = 250,00 km/s

so, refractive index of medium = 300000/250000 = 1.2

    1.2 refractive index is usually for water. so second medium is water.

for the third medium v = 0 km/s

so, refractive index of medium = 300000/0 = ∞

    ∞ refractive index is usually for opaque mediums. so third medium is opaque medium.

it's when something is going so fast it makes a loud noise, breaking the sound barrier, for example: a jet makes a loud noise, not only cause of the jet but because they reached a point where they went so fast that you can year the noise from various parts, kinda like a police car, lets say the car was going   so fast that you hear the siren of the cop car right next to you, but the car is probably a mile a way, it's cos the siren was next to you a few seconds if you understand me