ATAR Notes: Forum

HSC Stuff => HSC Science Stuff => HSC Subjects + Help => HSC Physics => Topic started by: Jefferson on July 14, 2019, 03:52:19 pm

Title: Speed of Light
Post by: Jefferson on July 14, 2019, 03:52:19 pm

What were the weaknesses in the methods of Rømer, Fizeau and Foucault[\b] in their determination of the speed of light?
How could their methods have been improved during their time?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Speed of Light
Post by: Jimbo123 on August 15, 2019, 08:39:34 pm

Hi

Romer - Variations of eclipses a maximum of 16.6 minutes coincided with times that Jupiter was closer to or further away from, Earth due to their different orbital speeds around the Sun. He explained the time variations as being mostly caused by light having to cross the diameter of Earth's orbit. He estimated light to move act 214000km/s. A limitation however was that the actual diameter of Earth's orbit was not accurately known at the time and so his results were affected.