Experimental Determination of the Velocity of Light: Made at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis — John Shaqi
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
Fig. 10 represents a plan of the lower floor of the building. E is a
three-horse power Lovegrove engine and boiler, resting on a stone
foundation; B, a small Roots' blower; G, an automatic regulator. From this
the air goes to a delivery-pipe, up through the floor, and to the turbine.
The engine made about 4 turns per second and the blower about 15. At this
speed the pressure of the air was about half a pound per square inch.
[Illustration: FIG. 10.]
The regulator, Fig. 11, consists of a strong bellows supporting a weight
of 370 pounds, partly counterpoised by 80 pounds in order to prevent the
bellows from sagging. When the pressure of air from the blower exceeds the
weight, the bellows commences to rise, and, in so doing, closes the
valve V.
[Illustration: FIG. 11.]
[Illustration: FIG. 12.]
This arrangement was found in practice to be insufficient, and the
following addition was made: A valve was placed at P, and the pipe was
tapped a little farther on, and a rubber tube led to a water-gauge, Fig
12. The column of water in the smaller tube is depressed, and, when it
reaches the horizontal part of the tube, the slightest variation of
pressure sends the column from one end to the other. This is checked by an
assistant at the valve; so that the column of water is kept at about the
same place, and the pressure thus rendered very nearly constant. The
result was satisfactory, though not in the degree anticipated. It was
possible to keep the mirror at a constant speed for three or four seconds
at a time, and this was sufficient for an observation. Still it would have
been more convenient to keep it so for a longer time.
I am inclined to think that the variations were due to changes in the
friction of the pivots rather than to changes of pressure of the blast of
air.
It may be mentioned that the test of uniformity was very delicate, as a
change of speed of one or two hundredths of a turn per second could easily
be detected.
Method Followed in Experiment.
It was found that the only time during the day when the atmosphere was
sufficiently quiet to get a distinct image was during the hour after
sunrise, or during the hour before sunset. At other times the image was
"boiling" so as not to be recognizable. In one experiment the electric
light was used at night, but the image was no more distinct than at
sunset, and the light was not steady.
The method followed in experiment was as follows: The fire was started
half an hour before, and by the time everything was ready the gauge would
show 40 or 50 pounds of steam. The mirror was adjusted by signals, as
before described. The heliostat was placed and adjusted. The revolving
mirror was inclined to the right or left, so that the _direct_ reflection
of light from the slit, which otherwise would flash into the eye-piece at
every revolution, fell either above or below the eye-piece.[2]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account