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

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around finding resources that explain the Michelson-Morley experiment, particularly focusing on the invariance of the speed of light and the implications of this experiment in physics. Participants express interest in detailed explanations of the experiment itself, its historical context, and its significance in the development of scientific instruments like the Michelson Interferometer.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks a book that thoroughly explains the Michelson-Morley experiment and its implications regarding the speed of light.
  • Another participant questions whether the request is for explanations of the invariance of light speed or its consequences.
  • A participant expresses skepticism about finding a detailed explanation in a book, suggesting that the original paper by Michelson and Morley might be a better resource.
  • Another participant provides historical context about the Michelson Interferometer, its significance in detecting gravitational waves, and its evolution from the original design by Michelson.
  • References to additional readings on the history and insights related to the Michelson Interferometer are shared.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the availability of detailed explanations in books, with some expressing doubt while others suggest alternative resources. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best sources for comprehensive information on the experiment.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the historical significance of the Michelson Interferometer and its role in the context of gravitational wave detection, but there are no specific assumptions or limitations noted in the discussion.

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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