Lecture 2

Question
A loud speaker sits in a car that moves at a velocity v
1
.
What is the propagation speed of the sound waves from
the speaker as measured by an observer who runs toward it
at velocity v
2
? Assuming the speed of sound is c.
Lecture 2
Failure of Newtonian Relativity
Laws of electricity and magnetism (or Maxwell equations)
are not Galilean invariant
z
x
y
d
q
q
S
x
y
z
S
v
Lecture 2
Failure of Newtonian Relativity-Contd
The propagation speed of electromagnetic waves would,
therefore, be affected by the motion of inertial frame of
references
Luminiferous ether: a hypothesized medium over
which electromagnetic waves propagate
Existence of a preferred frame of
reference?
Unusual properties of ether: extremely rigid while
offering no resistance to motion of the planets
Lecture 2
Existence of Ether?
Earths motion through ether
Light travels at different speeds along different
directions, as measured by an observer on the earth.
v
c-v
c+v
L
A B
!
"
#
$
%
&
+ + '
(
=
+
+
(
= + =
) )
!
2
2
2
2
1
2
1
1 2
c
v
c
L
c
v
c
L
v c
L
v c
L
t t t
A B B A
Lecture 2
Existence of Ether Contd
v
L
A
B
c c
v c c v v v
oe lo le
! ! ! ! ! !
+
!
= " + =
2 2 2 2 2
v c c v c c ! =
"
# +
"
=
!
"
#
$
%
&
+ + '
!
"
#
$
%
&
( =
(
= + =
(
) )
!
2
2
2 / 1
2
2
2 2
2
1
1
2
1
2
2
c
v
c
L
c
v
c
L
v c
L
t t t
A B B A
Lecture 2
Interference
v
c c
c+v
c-v
constructive
destructive
2
) 2 ( A I !
0 = I
Lecture 2
Coherence
!
"
#
$
%
&
+ ' =
!
"
#
$
%
&
+ ' =
) ( sin
) ( sin
2
2
2
2 2
1
1
1
1 1
( )
( )
w
w
v
l
t A s
v
l
t A s
!
"
#
$
%
&
' + ' = (
2
2
1
1
1 2
w w
v
l
v
l
) ) * +
Phase Difference:
!
"
!
#
$
% & + = + &
% &
= '
e destructiv n n
ve constructi n
( ( (
(
)
2 )
2
1
( 2
2
where
T
!
"
2
=
If
1 2
! ! "
remains constant, the two waves are coherent.
Lecture 2
Michaelson-Morley Experiement
Schematics:
Lecture 2
Experiment Setup
Lecture 2
Phase Difference Between Two Arms
!
!
"
#
$
$
%
&
+ + ' !
2
2
1
1
1
2
c
v
c
L
t
!
!
"
#
$
$
%
&
+ + ' !
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
c
v
c
L
t
8
2
2
2
10
300000
30
!
=
"
#
$
%
&
'
=
c
v
Since
, we ignore higher order
terms and we have
c
L L
c
v
c
L L
t t
2 1
2
2
2 1
2 1
2 ) ( 2 !
+
!
" ! = #
Lecture 2
Expected Shift in Fringe Pattern
Rotating the entire experiment setup by 90 degrees, we now have
The fringe pattern should, therefore, shift by
!
!
"
#
$
$
%
&
'
!
!
"
#
$
$
%
&
+
'
(
)
* (
2
2
2
2
2 1
2
c
v L
c
v
cT
L L
T +
in terms of the fraction of the full width of a fringe.
c
L L
c
v
c
L L
t t
2 1
2
2
2 1
2 1
2 ) ( 2 !
+
!
"
#
!
#
= $
#
Lecture 2
Results
s
m
c
s
m
v
m
m L
8
4
7
10 3
10 3
10 9 . 5
11
! =
! =
! =
=
"
#
Known quantities:
Expected shift:
40% of a fringe
But, the measured shift is <1%!
s
m
v
3
10 5! <
or
Modern measurements indicate
s
m
v 15 <
Ether does not exist!
Lecture 2
Lorentz-Fitzgerald Contraction
2
2
1
1
1
1 2
c
v
c
L
t
!
=
2
2
2
2
1
1 2
c
v c
L
t
!
=
We know
But, what if
2
2
1
1
c
v
L L ! =
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We would then have
Lecture 2
Reading Assignments
Chapter 1, 1-2, 1-3