Michelson morley exp and rotating 90 degrees

AI Thread Summary
The Michelson-Morley experiment measures the speed of light in different directions to detect ether wind. When the apparatus is rotated 90 degrees, the paths of light become perpendicular to the ether wind, altering the time taken for light to travel along each arm. This results in a different fringe shift due to the varying effective lengths of the light paths. The expected outcome is that the fringe shift will not simply exchange values but will reflect the differences in light travel times caused by the rotation. Understanding this shift is crucial for grasping the implications of the experiment on the ether theory.
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Homework Statement



Ok, I was able to figure out the difference in time for the michelson morley experiment and hence the fringe shift is B^2*L/wavelength. What i can't understand is why after shifting the experiment 90 degrees the fringe shift is supposed to be different. the one perpindicular to the ether wind is now parallel, and vice versa so wouldn't they just exchange values for time in terms of how long it takes for the light to travel. Why should a 90 degree rotation affect that or lead to a different fringe?

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