Kennedy & Thorndike - Lorentz-Fitzgerald Contraction Experiment

  • Thread starter Myst
  • Start date
In summary, the speaker is asking for help in finding the original article by Kennedy & Thorndike about their experiment on special relativity and the luminiferous aether. The speaker mentions that they were unable to find the article online and asks if anyone can provide it. Another person suggests going to a library, but the speaker mentions the cost and suggests asking a member of the Physical Review. The conversation ends with a comment about the struggles of being a physicist and the prevalence of piracy in the field.
  • #1
Myst
5
0
Good evening,

I am currently working on experimental proof about special relativity, and I came across Kennedy & Thorndike experiment, and their try to save the luminiferous aether with Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction.

Unfortunately, I can't find any original article on the Internet. Wikipedia says they had published a paper in the Physical Review, but I wasn't able to find it.

Could someone provide me with their original article ?

Many thanks !
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Myst said:
Good evening,

I am currently working on experimental proof about special relativity, and I came across Kennedy & Thorndike experiment, and their try to save the luminiferous aether with Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction.

Unfortunately, I can't find any original article on the Internet. Wikipedia says they had published a paper in the Physical Review, but I wasn't able to find it.

Could someone provide me with their original article ?

Many thanks !
It is here http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v42/i3/p400_1"
You need a subscription to download.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #3
Yes, I have seen this page before.

But you need a subscription to download it, and I only need this one... not a whole subscription to the Physical Review (and alone it costs 20 $... which is a bit expensive for what I want to do with it).

I suppose it's not illegal to ask if a member of the Physical Review could provide me with the article...?
 
  • #4
You should go to a library. I'd start with the local university.
 
  • #5
Yeah, if only I am rich, I will be a very good physicist!
Not forgetting those living without three meals a day. but has the potential to be the next Einstein.
No wonder there are so many piracies.
 

1. What is the Kennedy & Thorndike - Lorentz-Fitzgerald Contraction Experiment?

The Kennedy & Thorndike - Lorentz-Fitzgerald Contraction Experiment is a scientific experiment conducted in 1932 by Joseph Kennedy and Edward Thorndike to test the theory of Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction, which states that objects moving at high speeds will appear to be shorter in the direction of their motion.

2. How was the experiment conducted?

The experiment involved sending light beams through a vacuum chamber in different directions and measuring the time it took for the light to travel between two mirrors. The light beams were sent in both the direction of the Earth's motion and perpendicular to it. Any difference in the measured times would indicate the presence of Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction.

3. What were the results of the experiment?

The results of the experiment showed no difference in the measured times of the light beams, indicating that there was no Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction present. This was contrary to the predictions of the theory of relativity and led to further research and improvements in our understanding of the concept of time and space.

4. What impact did this experiment have on the scientific community?

The Kennedy & Thorndike - Lorentz-Fitzgerald Contraction Experiment had a significant impact on the scientific community as it challenged the existing theories of time and space. It also paved the way for the development of the Special Theory of Relativity and further experiments to test its predictions.

5. Are there any modern-day applications of this experiment?

Yes, the principles and concepts from this experiment are still used and applied in modern-day technologies such as GPS systems and particle accelerators. The experiment also continues to be used as a basis for testing and refining our understanding of the nature of time and space.

Similar threads

B Any plausible explanation for dynamical length contraction?
    • Special and General Relativity
3
Replies
83
Views
3K
A What's the relationship between RMS framework and the Lorentz group?
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
0
Views
638
Determining Metric of Space-Time (H.P. Robertson 1949)
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
974
I Is There Experimental Evidence That Contradicts Time Contraction Predictions?
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
5
Views
1K
B Is Lorentz Contraction Bona Fide or Just A "Perspective"?
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
13
Views
1K
I Coordinate Transformation versus Change of Synchrony Convention
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
9
Views
115
B Exploring Lorentz Transformations & Time Dilation Experiments
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
13
Views
1K
I Length contraction viewed with Heaviside equations
    • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
42
Views
4K
Potential to rectify an error in wikipedia
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
2
Views
2K
Lorentz-FitzGerald Contraction
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
8
Views
4K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top