My Slant on the Speed of Light
Over one hundred years ago Einstein explained the failure of the Michelson/Morley experiment to detect the earth’s motion through the “ether” by assuming the speed of light (in vacuo) is constant. I’d like to show that it is not necessary to fix the speed of light to explain certain observations, and it is likely wrong to do so.
Start with these assumptions:
- The speed of light is not fixed.
- The addition of velocities applies to the speed of light.
- When light is reflected it is actually re-propagated by the receiving atoms.
- The speed of light is constant relative to its source, not the observer, hence assumption 2 above.
Imagine a light source directed at a mirror at a fixed distance (d) from the source and that both are moving through space at a velocity of v in a straight line from source to mirror, and of course, the speed of light in a non-moving system is propagated through space at a velocity of c.
When we do a few rather simple calculations keeping our assumptions in mind, we easily come to the conclusion that the M&M experiment must fail to detect motion through space. Remember, M&M as observers are moving along with the system.
Calculate the time (t1) it takes for the light beam to reach the mirror:
t1 = (d + v*t1) / (c + v).
We add v*t1 to d since the total distance traveled through space is increased by the movement of the entire system.
The total velocity (c + v) follows assumption 2 above.
This calculation reduces to t1 = d / c, the same as in a non-moving system.
Calculate the time (t2) it takes for the light beam reflected off the mirror to reach the original source.
t2 = (d – v*t2) / (c – v).
According to assumption 3, the light is re-propagated and the mirror is now the light source.
The return distance is reduced by v*t2 because of the motion.
The return velocity is (c – v) [Assumption 2 again].
The calculation reduces to t2 = d / c, again the same as in a non-moving system.
The total time (t1 + t2) it takes for the entire trip is d*2 / c, again, the same as in a non-moving system.
The conclusion is that, following the above assumptions, Michelson and Morley’s experiment must fail to detect motion through the ether. It also shows that the speed of light is not constant, and therefore the entire Special Theory of Relativity cannot stand.
A friend objected that my “thought experiment” is rather contrived since the M&M setup was not as simple as my viewpoint , but this simple mental exercise can certainly be expanded to explain the more complex apparatus the M&M boys used.
Consider:
1) The Michelson / Morley experiment depends on the interferometer device they constructed to detect the motion of the earth through the luminiferous ether.
2) The device itself is the source of the light.
3) The whole apparatus is moving through space along with the earth.
4) By accepting the notion that light travels through space at a speed relative to its source, we must conclude that the experiment was doomed to fail at the very start.