K^2 said:They already did, because Maxwell's equations give you a constant c, without specifying coordinate system. So people thought that maybe Maxwell's equations are only valid in some special coordinate system, and so Michelson Morley experiment tried to verify that.
The speed of light is a physical constant that represents the speed at which light travels in a vacuum. It is denoted by the letter "c" and has a value of approximately 299,792,458 meters per second.
The speed of light is considered constant because it does not change regardless of the observer's frame of reference or the speed of the source emitting the light. This fundamental property is known as the principle of relativity and is a cornerstone of Einstein's theory of special relativity.
The speed of light was first accurately measured in 1676 by the Danish astronomer Ole Rømer. He used observations of the moons of Jupiter to estimate the time it took for light to travel a certain distance, and from there, he was able to calculate the speed of light.
According to our current understanding of physics, the speed of light is the maximum speed at which anything in the universe can travel. This means that it is not possible for an object or information to exceed the speed of light.
The speed of light is closely related to other fundamental constants, such as the permeability and permittivity of free space, and the Planck constant. These relationships are described by Maxwell's equations and are essential for understanding the behavior of electromagnetic waves, including light.