Maybe this will help you to understand - a photon is not a particle. Your welcome!Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Because it is both a particle and a wave. When crossing another medium it is most useful to think of it as a wave.
I am not sure science knows what it is (magic ) when is convenient it is a particle and when is not convenient then is called a wave , Question does a wave shatters glass or does a particle shatters the glass ?
The photon is a wavelet at the moment it strikes the glass. It interacts. It annihilates, giving up its energy to an electron in the crystalline silicon, and that energy is transmitted to the opposite surface, where the process reverts and a new photon is created which subsequently exits, giving the illusion that the photon has passed through the glass.
Thanks for the clear (excuse the pun) answer. I would have thought that to be the case. That in itself, however, is also fascinationg. Imagine a very clear, say 2" sheet of glass. The light would pass through it almost as if it wasn't there. It hits the glass and is re-created at the other side as though it wasn't there. Fascinating!