Bored of physics (1 Viewer)

[Abtari]

Hey all you physicians out there!

I need some help with this thing about the Michelson Morley experiment that we have to do.

I need to provide evidence (further writings, experiments, etc) that testify that the two were reluctant in abandoning their theory even after obtaining a null result. I also need to talk about how hte result paved the way for Einstien's relativity theory and implications on space and time.

 

[acmilan]

I wouldnt say that the results paved the way for Einstein. Einstein was not aware nor influenced by the experiment in making his theory. If Einsteins theory that c is constant in a vacuum applied, then space and time become relative

 

[nit]

In hindsight it did pave the way for a belief in Einstein's work. In any case, I just wanted to point out that the term is physicist, not physician.
Edit: why you'd need to demonstrate that the two were reluctant to lose belief in the aether model I don't know. You simply need to demonstrate how society itself was reluctant - look at Lorentz's work on length contraction/ new ideas about the aether model proposed following the null result (ie that large objects drag the aether along with them). That should be enough, along with a discussion of how einstein attacked the same problem, for the competing theories dot point.

 

[Kazuya]

re: their reluctance to abandon their theory, I remember reading somewhere that after their null result they did further trials - I think using the same apparatus - in different conditions, eg. on a cliff to make sure everything was stable, or something along those lines...

So yeah basically they kept trying, despite their null result.

 

[Abtari]

I need to provide evidence about their reluctance because its our task.
By the way, how did Lorentz's work show the reluctance of society? Im a bit confused on that.

Do u know any other evidence apart from further experimentation?

 

[nit]

One of Lorentz's propositions to overcome the null result was that length contracted in the direction of motion into the aether, hence meaning that whatever path the light took, the time of travel of the light ray would be the same if the path lengths were the same. Thus the interference pattern should not be seen to change when the apparatus was rotated 90 degrees. That's probably all the detail you would need on Lorentz's work here.

 

[Helstar87]

Do you still need that? I have great class notes if you want them

 

[tennille]

Physics Excel book has heaps on stuff...

Lorentz stuff (mentioned in the previous posts)...people suggested that the Earth carried the aether along with it, repetition of the experiment (ie. different times of the year, different altitudes, etc).

 

[jang]

guys, maybe u should get a physics tutor... ie. me. hohoho

 

[nit]

or maybe we don't need to care about the michelson morley's implications in regards to einstein ever again

edit: that was before i realised you were selling your services jang...in any case I'm class of '04 and most certainly do not need a physics tutor.