Pentcho Valev
2007-11-13 07:13:44 UTC
http://ias.umn.edu/pdf/TimeandRelativity-Pooley.pdf
p. 11: "Problem for Lorentz's theory: no sign of ether drift (= motion
of ether with respect to earth). Many failed attempts to detect ether
drift, one of the most famous ones by Americans Albert A. Michelson
(1852-1931) and Edward W. Morley (1838-1923).
Explanation: compensating effect: length of interferometer arm changes
as it rotates: parallel to ether drift it is shorter than
perpendicular to the ether drift
Contraction (deformation) hypothesis: an object moving with a velocity
v through the ether contracts by a factor (1-v^2 c^2)^(1/2) in the
direction of motion."
Another explanation that essentially could have been advanced by
FitzGerald, Lorentz etc. if they had been less prejudiced in favour of
the ether theory:
http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00001743/02/Norton.pdf
John Norton: "Einstein regarded the Michelson-Morley experiment as
evidence for the principle of relativity, whereas later writers almost
universally use it as support for the light postulate of special
relativity......THE MICHELSON-MORLEY EXPERIMENT IS FULLY COMPATIBLE
WITH AN EMISSION THEORY OF LIGHT THAT CONTRADICTS THE LIGHT
POSTULATE."
Which explanation would have been more correct?
Pentcho Valev
p. 11: "Problem for Lorentz's theory: no sign of ether drift (= motion
of ether with respect to earth). Many failed attempts to detect ether
drift, one of the most famous ones by Americans Albert A. Michelson
(1852-1931) and Edward W. Morley (1838-1923).
Explanation: compensating effect: length of interferometer arm changes
as it rotates: parallel to ether drift it is shorter than
perpendicular to the ether drift
Contraction (deformation) hypothesis: an object moving with a velocity
v through the ether contracts by a factor (1-v^2 c^2)^(1/2) in the
direction of motion."
Another explanation that essentially could have been advanced by
FitzGerald, Lorentz etc. if they had been less prejudiced in favour of
the ether theory:
http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00001743/02/Norton.pdf
John Norton: "Einstein regarded the Michelson-Morley experiment as
evidence for the principle of relativity, whereas later writers almost
universally use it as support for the light postulate of special
relativity......THE MICHELSON-MORLEY EXPERIMENT IS FULLY COMPATIBLE
WITH AN EMISSION THEORY OF LIGHT THAT CONTRADICTS THE LIGHT
POSTULATE."
Which explanation would have been more correct?
Pentcho Valev