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

In summary, the article discusses how the Michelson Interferometer was used in the early 1800s to disprove the existence of a "Luminiferous Aether" and how it was used to detect gravitational waves.
  • #1
AhmedHesham
96
11
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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  • #2
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?
 
  • #3
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. ☺
 
  • #4
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.
 
  • #5
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.
 
  • #6
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
 

What is the Michelson-Morley Experiment?

The Michelson-Morley Experiment, also known as the Michelson-Morley Interferometer Experiment, was conducted in 1887 by Albert Michelson and Edward Morley. It was an attempt to measure the speed of light in different directions in order to prove the existence of the hypothetical "ether" that was believed to be the medium through which light traveled.

Why is the Michelson-Morley Experiment important?

The Michelson-Morley Experiment is important because it directly contradicted the established theory at the time, known as the "ether theory." This led to the development of the special theory of relativity by Albert Einstein, which revolutionized our understanding of space and time.

What is the significance of the speed of light in the Michelson-Morley Experiment?

The Michelson-Morley Experiment was designed to measure the speed of light in different directions and compare them to the expected speed based on the Earth's motion through the hypothetical ether. However, the experiment showed that the speed of light was constant in all directions, regardless of the Earth's motion. This was a groundbreaking discovery that led to the development of the theory of relativity.

What are the best books to learn about the Michelson-Morley Experiment?

There are many excellent books that explain the Michelson-Morley Experiment and its significance. Some popular options include "The Principle of Relativity" by Albert Einstein, "Einstein's Greatest Mistake: The Life of a Flawed Genius" by David Bodanis, and "The Measure of Reality: Quantification and Western Society, 1250-1600" by Alfred W. Crosby.

How does the Michelson-Morley Experiment relate to our modern understanding of physics?

The Michelson-Morley Experiment played a crucial role in the development of modern physics and our understanding of space and time. It showed that the speed of light is constant in all inertial frames of reference, which led to the development of the special theory of relativity. This theory has been an essential component of modern physics and has been confirmed through numerous experiments and observations.

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