Did Michelson Morley's experiment disprove the existence of aether?? (1 Viewer)
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1800-gumby
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it was attempting to find the earths volicity relative to aether. It proved that the earths relative velocity to the aether was undetectable.
edit -- yeh helper was right my bad
edit -- yeh helper was right my bad
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The idea was to measure the speed of light in different directions in order to measure the speed of the aether relative to Earth, which proves/disproves its existence.
A null result was obtained and. The fact that there was no motion of the Earth relative to the aether meant that the aether hypothesis was wrong and that no aether (absolute) reference frame existed for the electomagnetic phenomena.
This opened the way for a whole new way of thinking that was to be proposed by Albert Einstein.
Eventually, physicists showed that the changes needed to make the aether hypothesis consistent with the null result meant that the aether reference fram was impossible. the aether ceased to exist as a real substance.
There you go!
A null result was obtained and. The fact that there was no motion of the Earth relative to the aether meant that the aether hypothesis was wrong and that no aether (absolute) reference frame existed for the electomagnetic phenomena.
This opened the way for a whole new way of thinking that was to be proposed by Albert Einstein.
Eventually, physicists showed that the changes needed to make the aether hypothesis consistent with the null result meant that the aether reference fram was impossible. the aether ceased to exist as a real substance.
There you go!
Jezzabelle
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M-M experiment was formulated from the hypothesis that the movement of the earth in the 'aether' would cause and aether wind. They wanted to detect this wind and measure its magnitude, so they set up an experiment to 'race' two light beams. One into the aether and one across it. picture two boats on a river. and they both leave the same spot. one races across the length of the river (say 5m for arguments sake) to a pier and the other races 5m down the river (into the current) to another pier. the time it takes them to do a return journey is timed. now you can probably imagine the logical result. it takes longer for the one traveling across the river to make the journey. this is the type of race M-M were trying to set up.
but even tho they rotated it 90o and repeated it at different times of the day, at all different times of the year. they still got null result (ie using the boat analogy, the boats took the same amount of time)
following on from this scientist tried to make adjustments to the aether theory so it fitted in....
then einstein came along with his ideas and the M-M experiment was pointless, cos einstein propossed their was no aither etc
but even tho they rotated it 90o and repeated it at different times of the day, at all different times of the year. they still got null result (ie using the boat analogy, the boats took the same amount of time)
following on from this scientist tried to make adjustments to the aether theory so it fitted in....
then einstein came along with his ideas and the M-M experiment was pointless, cos einstein propossed their was no aither etc
AE86
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So basically its purpose was to prove the existence of aetherwind which then shows that aether exists.
However, from experiment, results shows that there is no aetherwind because there was no intereference pattern detected, right??
Due to this confusion, MM experiement has motivated physicists to search for new hypothesis to rectify the problem??
And this person is Einstein who introduced his theory about the princple of relativity through his experimental thoughts.
Am i on the right track so far?
If not please correct me, thanks
However, from experiment, results shows that there is no aetherwind because there was no intereference pattern detected, right??
Due to this confusion, MM experiement has motivated physicists to search for new hypothesis to rectify the problem??
And this person is Einstein who introduced his theory about the princple of relativity through his experimental thoughts.
Am i on the right track so far?
If not please correct me, thanks
Jezzabelle
Member
correct! tell him wat he's won Delorisben_ratus said:
einstein came along and went...AE86 said:
umm earth to losers.. listen to me:
blah blah inertial and non-inertial frames reference
blah blah speed of light is constant
blah blah special relativity
Do not use the term disprove. An experiment didn't disprove anything. It failed to support the hypothesis but this does not mean the hypothesis is wrong. It then was used in support of argements against the aether wind but did not disprove it.
Jase
Member
I like chicken too.
They weren't trying to disprove anything. All they were trying to do was measure the velocity, by assuming the aether is there with no exeptions. The null result just showed there was either a flaw with the experiment, or a flaw with the theory, because the velocity of light didn't seem to be affected by the motion of source or observer relative to the aether. And even then, everyone still supported the ether for years to come and procrastinated Einstein's truth.
But I'm having instant noodles for dinner.
They weren't trying to disprove anything. All they were trying to do was measure the velocity, by assuming the aether is there with no exeptions. The null result just showed there was either a flaw with the experiment, or a flaw with the theory, because the velocity of light didn't seem to be affected by the motion of source or observer relative to the aether. And even then, everyone still supported the ether for years to come and procrastinated Einstein's truth.
But I'm having instant noodles for dinner.