- #1
spaghetti3451
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Light as a wave: Interference and diffraction of light indicates light is a wave. Other waves like sound or water waves require a medium to propagate. The speed of the wave is defined relative to this medium. So what is the light’s medium? And can we measure our speed relative to the medium by measuring the speed of light?
At Einstein’s time it seemed obvious that there was such a medium—called “LuminiferousÆther ”—pervading the Universe. But its nature was very controversial. On one hand a wave is a perturbation of the æther and its frequency increases with the force which restores the equilibrium. To accommodate the very large frequencies of visible light the interaction between the medium and the light must be very strong. One the other hand the æther must be completely transparent to matter, allowing the Earth to travel trough it without affecting it.
I am having trouble understanding how the frequency of a must increase with the force which restores the equilibrium and why to accommodate the very large frequencies of visible light, the interaction between the medium and the light must be very strong.
I also find it difficult to see how this contradicts the fact that the æther must be completely transparent to matter, allowing the Earth to travel trough it without affecting it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
At Einstein’s time it seemed obvious that there was such a medium—called “LuminiferousÆther ”—pervading the Universe. But its nature was very controversial. On one hand a wave is a perturbation of the æther and its frequency increases with the force which restores the equilibrium. To accommodate the very large frequencies of visible light the interaction between the medium and the light must be very strong. One the other hand the æther must be completely transparent to matter, allowing the Earth to travel trough it without affecting it.
I am having trouble understanding how the frequency of a must increase with the force which restores the equilibrium and why to accommodate the very large frequencies of visible light, the interaction between the medium and the light must be very strong.
I also find it difficult to see how this contradicts the fact that the æther must be completely transparent to matter, allowing the Earth to travel trough it without affecting it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.