Skip to main content

The Michelson Experiment

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Elementary Approach to Special Relativity
  • 978 Accesses

Abstract

We here describe the simple idea of the Michelson experiment as illustrated below. A source S emits a wave train which arrives at a semi silver-coated glass plate P. There the wave train is split into two coherent wave trains moving along the arms \(l_1\) and \(l_2\) of  Michelson’s interferometer. The waves were reflected at the ends \(l_1\) and \(l_2\) by the mirrors \(M_1\) and \(M_2\) resp.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helmut Günther .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Günther, H. (2020). The Michelson Experiment. In: Elementary Approach to Special Relativity. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3168-2_24

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics