A Particle Explanation of the Michelson-Morley and Kennedy-Thorndike Experiments
| Scientific Paper | |
|---|---|
| Title | A Particle Explanation of the Michelson-Morley and Kennedy-Thorndike Experiments |
| Author(s) | Randy Reukauf |
| Keywords | Michelson-Morley, Kennedy-Thorndike |
| Published | 2006 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the NPA |
| Volume | 3 |
| Number | 2 |
| Pages | 223-231 |
Abstract
What would happen if two particles went through the interferometer of the Michelson-Morley experiment? If the particles left the source simultaneously with the same velocity, would they arrive at the detector at the same time? If the interferometer was changed to the interferometer of the Kennedy-Thorndike experiment, would there always be a constant difference in time between the particles at the detector? The answers are yes if the particles are ideal and move according to Newton?s Laws of Motion. If the particles are ideal, Newton?s Laws of Motion allow the derivation of equations that predict the outcome of a collision. These equations, when applied to the movement of the particles through the interferometer, produce results that agree with the outcomes of the above experiments. As these experiments originally used light, these results allow the possibility that the experiments can be explained by the particle nature of light. The conclusion is that the particle nature of light needs closer investigation.
