Experimental Determination of the Velocity of Light: Made at the U.S. Naval Academy, AnnapolisMichelson, Albert A. (Albert Abraham)
Science
Experimental Determination of the Velocity of Light: Made at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis
Michelson, Albert A. (Albert Abraham)
Light -- Speed
July 4, 1879.
1 0.1 2552.0
2 255.3 2551.7
3 510.5 2551.9
4 765.6 2551.9
5 1020.7 2552.1
6 1275.7 2552.0
7 1530.7 2551.8
8 1786.5 2551.4
9 2041.6 2551.7
10 2297.0 2551.5
-------
11 2552.1 255.180 = mean ÷ 10.
12 2807.0 + .699 = reduction for mean time.
13 3062.4 + .003 = correction for rate.
14 3317.5 + .187 = correction for temperature.
-------
15 3572.8 256.069 = number of vibrations per second at 65° Fahr.
16 3827.7
17 4082.5
18 4335.9
19 4593.3
20 4848.5
The correction for temperature was found by Professor Mayer by counting
the sound-beats between the standard and another Ut₃ fork, at different
temperatures. His result is +.012 vibrations per second for a diminution
of 1° Fahr. Using the same method, I arrived at the result +.0125.
Adopted +.012.
_Résumé of determinations made at Naval Academy._
In the following table the first column gives the date, the second gives
the total number of seconds, the third gives the result uncorrected for
temperature, the fourth gives the temperature (centigrade), the fifth
gives the final result, and the sixth the difference between the greatest
and least values obtained in the several determinations for intervals of
ten seconds:
July 4 20 255.882 27.0 256.069 0.07
5 19 255.915 26.4 256.089 0.05
5 18 255.911 26.0 256.077 0.02
6 21 255.874 24.7 256.012 0.13
6 9 255.948 24.8 256.087 0.24
7 22 255.938 24.6 256.074 0.05
7 21 255.911 25.3 256.061 0.04
8 20 255.921 26.6 256.100 0.02
8 20 255.905 26.6 256.084 0.06
8 20 255.887 26.6 256.066 0.03
-------
Mean = 256.072
In one of the preceding experiments, I compared the two Vt₃ forks while
the standard was tracing its record on the cylinder, and also when it was
in position as for use in the observations. The difference, if any, was
less than .01 vibration per second.
_Second determination_.
(Joint work with Professor A.M. Mayer, Stevens Institute, Hoboken.)
The fork was wedged into a wooden support, and the platinum tip allowed to
rest on lampblacked paper, wound about a metal cylinder, which was rotated
by hand Time was given by a break-circuit clock, the rate of which was
ascertained, by comparisons with Western Union time-ball, to be 9.87
seconds. The spark from secondary coil of the inductorium passed from the
platinum tip, piercing the paper. The size of the spark was regulated by
resistances in primary circuit.
The following is a specimen determination:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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