Learn Michelson Morley Exp: Best Books Explaining Light's C Speed

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the Michelson-Morley experiment, which demonstrated that the speed of light is invariant, moving at 'c' regardless of the source's speed. Participants recommend primary sources, specifically Michelson and Morley's original paper, for detailed explanations of the experiment. Additionally, the significance of the Michelson Interferometer, developed by Albert Abraham Michelson, is highlighted as a groundbreaking instrument in physics, crucial for detecting gravitational waves. Recent insights into the history of the interferometer are also referenced, providing further context for its impact on modern physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Michelson-Morley experiment
  • Familiarity with the concept of the speed of light as a constant
  • Knowledge of the Michelson Interferometer and its applications
  • Basic grasp of gravitational wave detection technologies
NEXT STEPS
  • Read Michelson and Morley's original paper on the experiment
  • Explore the Commentary ‘How gravitational waves went from a whisper to a shout’ published in Physics Today
  • Investigate the design and function of the Michelson Interferometer
  • Research recent papers on the history and advancements of interferometry in physics
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, researchers in optics and gravitational wave detection, historians of science, and anyone interested in the foundational experiments of modern physics.

AhmedHesham
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I want a book that explains everything about
Michelson Morley experiment. The one that says
light moves with c regardless of the speed of the source
and also the one that says light appeared to move with
C for all observers.
 
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Ate you looking for something that explains the experiments which show that the speed of light is invariant, or something that explains the fascinating consequences of this fact?
 
Nugatory said:
Ate you looking for something that explains the experiments which show that the speed of light is invariant, or something that explains the fascinating consequences of this fact?
No. I actually want the experiment explained in detail. ☺
 
AhmedHesham said:
No. I actually want the experiment explained in detail. ☺
I doubt that you'll find that in a book. However, the very first reference in the Wikipedia article on this experiment is a link to Michelson and Morley's paper in which they describe their experiment.
 
Nugatory said:
I doubt that you'll find that in a book. However, the very first reference in the Wikipedia article on this experiment is a link to Michelson and Morley's paper in which they describe their experiment.
OK. Thank you very much.
 
Concerning physics and history of the experiment you may wish to read the Commentary ‘How gravitational waves went from a whisper to a shout’, published in Physics Today August 2016, volume 69, number 8, pages 10-11. We are thinking that one may wish to emphasize that the detection was accomplished by using one of the most groundbreaking instruments in physics: The Michelson Interferometer, developed by the first American Nobel Prize winner Albert Abraham Michelson. The interferometer is so extraordinary powerful for detecting gravitational waves--LIGO's interferometers are designed to measure a distance 1/10,000th the width of a proton! Interferometers were actually invented in the late 19th century by A.A. Michelson. The Michelson Interferometer was used in 1881 in the so-called "Potsdam Michelson Experiment", which set out to prove or disprove the existence of a "Luminiferous Aether"--a substance at the time thought to permeate the Universe. All modern interferometers have evolved from this first one since it demonstrated how the properties of light can be used to make the tiniest of measurements. The invention of lasers has enabled interferometers to make the smallest conceivable measurements, like those required by LIGO. Interestingly, the basic structure of LIGO's interferometers differs little from the interferometer that Michelson designed over 135 years ago.
We would like to make the readers of this article aware of some new insights into the history of the Michelson Interferometer as published recently as contained in the papers available at
https://aip.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1063/1.37840 and
http://leibnizsozietaet.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HJH_BH2016_Michelson-Experiment-002.pdf
 

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