The Michelson-Morley experiment a) confirmed that time dilation occurs. b) proved that length contraction occurs. c) verified the conservation of momentum in inertial reference frames. d) supported the relationship between mass and energy. e) indicated that the speed of light is the same in all inertial reference frames.

Question

Ashlee Harrell

Physics

9 February, 16:23

The Michelson-Morley experiment a) confirmed that time dilation occurs. b) proved that length contraction occurs. c) verified the conservation of momentum in inertial reference frames. d) supported the relationship between mass and energy. e) indicated that the speed of light is the same in all inertial reference frames.

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Adrian Salas · Answer 1

e) indicated that the speed of light is the same in all inertial reference frames.

Explanation:

In 18th century, many scientists believed that the light just like air and water needs a medium to travel. They called this medium aether. They believed that even the space is not empty and filled with aether.

Michelson and Morley tried to prove the presence and speed of this aether through an interference experiment in 1887. They made an interferometer in which light was emitted at various angles with respect to the supposed aether. Both along the flow and against the flow to see the difference in the speed of light. But they did not find no major difference and thus it became the first proof to disprove the theory of aether.

It thus proved that the speed of light remains same in all inertial frames.

Also, it became a base for the special theory of relativity by Einstein.