Michelson determined the velocity of light by:
Correct answer: D. Using an octagonal rotating mirror D
- A. Studying rotation of moon and sun
- B. Using interferometer
- C. Using a rotating plane mirror
- D. Using an octagonal rotating mirror D
Explanation
Michelson determined the velocity of light using an experiment known as the Michelson-Morley experiment, which involved an interferometer.However, the specific method Michelson used involved a rotating octagonal mirror, not just any rotating plane mirror.In the experiment, light was split into two beams, one that traveled along the direction of Earth's motion through the hypothetical "ether" and one that traveled perpendicular to it. These beams were then recombined using mirrors, and interference patterns were observed. By comparing the interference patterns at different times of the year when the Earth's velocity relative to the supposed ether changed, Michelson sought to detect any variation in the speed of light. The experiment famously resulted in null results, which led to significant implications for the understanding of light and the development of Einstein's theory of relativity.
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Classical physics cannot explain blackbody radiation and related observations, leading to Planck’s quantum theory, in which energy is emitted or absorbed in discrete packets. Photons provide the particle model of light, with energy and momentum linked to frequency and wavelength, including the photoelectric effect and its threshold frequency.
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