The Michelson - Morley Experiment for my science project?

Question

I have been given a task to design an experiment at school, and since I don't want to do a bouncing ball experiment, I decided to do a variation the Morley experiment for detection of an ether.

Problem is, I have very limited materials and skills. I have pocket lasers, and Lego Mindstorms kits and a very basic level of electronics.

So I am actually asking two questions here. First, is ideas on other ways an ether can be detected(yes I know it is accepted that it doesn't exist, but I don't care about the results, I want to do something cool) but please answer this question without spood feeding me with answers, as I want my idea to be original.

Second, how would I do the original experiment in the first place with limited materials and skills(as my variation will be similar)?

Answer 1

Ask at the nearest local college physics department, if they would be willing to loan you a Michelson interferometer, since they might have a dozen that they use in their lower-division physics laboratory classes.
It's not large. It's barely bigger than a textbook.
You won't be able to make one out of your own materials, because it requires very precise and stable movements over very small distances.
Good luck, I hope everything works out!

Answer 2

That experiment has been proven to be a "null test". In other words, even if there is an ether and even if we are moving very fast relative to the ether, the experiment could never detect that relative motion, even if they did it with infinite precision.

It is not generally accepted that there is no ether. It is generally accepted that the equations of general relativity work just as well with or without an ether---unless the ether has non-uniform motion. If there are ether storms, with swirling clouds of ether, that would seriously complicate astrophysics problems. But I can't think of a high-school project to detect that if none of the worlds observatories have succeced.

I believe there is an ether, but I doubt if we will ever be able to detect motion relative to it. In my own Fractal Foam Model of Universes, matter doesn't drag the ether, because matter is a wave motion thru the ether.

Anyway, I don't recommend that particular experiment to be repeated for any reason. You can probably design a better experiment than Michaelson and Moreley did, but not to detect motion relative to the ether.

Answer 3

Actually the Michelson-Morley experiment was undertaken to find a way to determine absolute motion. Michelson invented an incredibly sensitive device called an interferometer, an arrangement of mirrors and half mirrors that split a beam of light so that any difference in the speed of the light would show up as interference lines. The device was so sensitive it could measure the growth of a plant from second to second. No vast distances of space were required, the instrument merely had to be turned in different directions and the results checked. No differences could be detected in the speed of the beams of light. The experiment was a failure but it led to incredible discoveries that altered the very nature of physics. I have no inkling of any method you could use to duplicate this experiment but I certainly admire your courage.

Answer 4

the thought-on the subject of the aether has been around an prolonged time. it truly is a mythical substance meant to fill all of area. ('Ether' is a well known spelling. The aether isn't the comparable simply by fact the organic and organic compound ether - it truly is unlucky that they use the comparable call. i've got faith the two names derive from the comparable root although - look up 'airy'; ether is amazingly volatile and varieties a gas that spreads everywhere.) to describe how electromagnetic waves (like easy) are transmitted, nineteenth century scientists used the 'aether' . the thought replaced into used simply by fact physicists might desire to no longer understand the way easy may be a wave without some form of substance to be vibrating. the full of area replaced into meant to be crammed by skill of the aether; electromagnetic wave have been only vibrations of the the aether. (EM waves at the instant are defined by skill of the changing magnetic and electric powered fields that may exist in a vacuum). The universe replaced into assume to be crammed with the aether. If this have been real, it is going to be achievable to degree the earth's velocity relative to the aether. The ether physique is only the physique of reference (coordinate equipment in case you like) that the earth is meant to be shifting reative. An inertial physique of reference is one that isn't accelerating, e.g. the coordinate equipment interior a rocket shifting at a steady velocity in a directly line. i can't attempt to describe the Michelson-Morley test quickly or without diagrams. take a glance on the three area video in the links (pass 1st minute and a a million/2 of area a million- no longer something occurs).

Answer 5

The M-M experiment required a large distance, as they experimenters hoped there would be a time lag between two directed lightbeams.