Speed of Light - Rotating Mirror

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 Code Number :   6A01.30  

Disclaimer:

Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website.

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Condition :   Excellent  
Principle :   Speed of Light
Area of Study :  Optics, Astronomy   
Equipment :   Pasco Speed of Light Apparatus, 2 meter meter stick, Old Lab Setup with rotating Mirror.
  
Procedure :   Alignment is critical to Pasco Apparatus since we are using a short path length on the order of 160 cm.  Allow at least 2 hours for setup.  However, once setup is complete the apparatus can be wheeled around without seriously affecting the alignment. 

The description of the old setup is shown in picture 3.  NOTE:  The only real changes from the Pasco setup are much longer path lengths and the use of a screen instead of a measuring microscope.  The extremely long path length and correspondingly long setup make this unacceptable for lecture.

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   References

Burt Brody, "The Speed of Light: Making an Easy Time of It, " TPT, Vol. 41, # 5, May 2003, p. 276.

Barbara S. Andereck, "Microwave Hot Spots", TPT, Vol. 28, # 9, Dec. 1990, p. 580.

Alistair Steyn-Ross, Alister Riddell, "Standing Waves in a Microwave Oven," TPT, Vol. 28, # 7, p. 474-476, (Oct. 1990).

Rafael Cohen And Hanna Goldring, Martin Harrap, "Measuring Speed of Light With Two Dollar Rotators", TPT, Vol. 18, # 3, Mar. 1980, p. 226.

Robert A. DiCurcio, "Speed of Light With a Rotating Mirror and a Laser", TPT, Vol. 16, # 5, May 1978, p. 326.

 

 

J. A. Baretta and J. E. Lang, "A Simple Velocity of Light Experiment", AJP, Vol. 46, (11), Nov. 1978, p. 1189.

A. J. Domkowski, C. B. Richardson, Noel Rowbotham, "Measurement of the Speed of Light", AJP, Vol. 40, # 6, June  1972, p. 910.

 

Oa-4:  Freier and Anderson, A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.

 

"1, Measuring the Velocity of Light With a Rotating Mirror", Experiments in Optics, Part 2, Klinger Scientific Apparatus Corp., Bulletin 101- 2.



Mail Questions and Comments to:  Dale Stille