Michelson-Morley Experiment (1 Viewer)

[irvine]

I'm looking at the syllabus and trying to write notes on the couple of dotpoints on the MM experiment, but i'm unsure of the depth we actually need to go into.

Does anyone know how broad we need to be? Thanks.

 

[annabackwards]

Enough for a 4 marker at least, no more than what i needed for a 7 marker

 

[darkchild69]

I'm looking at the syllabus and trying to write notes on the couple of dotpoints on the MM experiment, but i'm unsure of the depth we actually need to go into.

Does anyone know how broad we need to be? Thanks.

- Description of what the experiment intended to find out
- Description of the experiment itself
- Description of results
- Analysis of what these results meant
- Discussion on how these results changed scientific thinking

I reckon that would be pretty decent

 

[LOL™]

Know how to draw the diagram as well for the Michelson-Morley Experiment because it is much more clear than a description of how it is set up.

 

[madsam]

You shouldn't have to write more than a 4-5 mark answer for it, but you need to know a few points as to what it meant (and then choose the relevant points when answering the question)

Why the experiment was designed
What it set out to accomplish
The set up of the prac (ie diagram)
The results of the prac
The effect of a null result on scientific thinking
The effect of the experiment upon society and technological advance

 

[Spark_Coaching]

The main points you need to know are as follows:

– Aim: To measure the existence of an aether wind which caused the speed of light to vary.
– Equipment: Interferometer mounted on a large stone block floating on mercury so it could be rotated to repeat the experiment in different directions.
– Method: Involved two beams of light and an interferometer to establish a diffraction pattern.
– Hypothesis: Interferences patterns would be observed.
– Results: Null.
– Conclusion: None.
– Impact on science: Many scientists accepted the result as proof of non-existence of aether. Others regarded experiment as failure due to imprecise equipment.

And being familiar with the apparatus would be useful which can be found in most Physics textbooks.

 

[irvine]

Thankyou very much for the help

As for the "competing theories" dot point, do we only need to talk about aether theory vs. Special relativity or lorenzt's hypothesis (length contraction) vs. Special relativity?