Where is the Michelson–Morley experiment site that tested the ether hypothesis?
Quick Answer
The famous 1887 experiment was conducted at the Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, Ohio, now part of Case Western Reserve University. It used an interferometer to look for Earth’s motion through the luminiferous ether.
The Full Story
Albert A. Michelson and Edward W. Morley carried out their landmark ether experiment in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1887. The work was done at the Case School of Applied Science, now part of Case Western Reserve University. Their sensitive interferometer failed to detect the expected ether wind, a result that helped undermine the ether concept. The experiment became one of the key scientific steps leading toward Einstein’s special relativity in 1905.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"The experiment that helped kill the ether, and changed physics forever."
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