Cosmic Adventure Episode 2.07 Secrets of MMX

© ABCC Australia 2015 new-physics.com

THE SECRET OF THE MM EXPERIMENTCosmic Adventure: Episode 2.07


A Doomed Project

As we saw it, the MM experiment had been a project doomed to fail from the very beginning.


Maxwell – the Initiator

When Clerk Maxwell first started the idea of testing the existence of the aether wind, he had the idea in mind that the wind would affect the motion of light travelling in it, just like wind affecting our motion in ordinary life.


Addition of Light Speed

Maxwell also believed that light velocity and aether velocity will add and subtract just like vectors in classical mechanics. If a man goes against the wind, he will feel the force of the wind more ferocious than when he is backing away from it.

Wind Speed = 𝑐𝑐

𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑐𝑐 + 𝑣𝑣𝑐𝑐 − 𝑣𝑣


Aether wind as medium – basic mistake

All these would happen, of course, when the aether wind is there.But in nature, there were no aether wind.So this was the initial misconception – believing in the aether as the transmission medium for light.


Albert Michelson –the Operator

Michelson deeply believed in what Maxwell had said and furthered the idea with the river analogy.The flow of the river is the flow of the aether wind. It would affect swimmers differently if they swim in different directions. The swimmers will automatically adjust their courses under the influence of the wind.


𝑩𝑩

𝑨𝑨𝑐𝑐

Against & Cross Wind

Swimming against the current will reduce speed. Swimming in line with the current will gain in speed. Swimming across will be affected differently. In short everything is just like vectors interacting with each other as in classical mechanics according to Newton’s laws.


Wind has no Effect

Later scientists knew it very well that the motion (speed) of light is not affected by its sources nor by its medium.So this was the second and most basic mistake committed.Naturally, when these misconceptions were applied to the experiment, it failed to yield any expected results.


TWO MM EXPERIMENTSComparing


Let us split the experiment into two for easier comparison.


This is an outline setup of the original MM Experiment in 1881. We colour it blue to indicate that the system was at its starting stage.

Light Source Splitter

Mirror B

Mirror A

Viewer


B. MMX Setup for correctionA. MM Experiment Setup


Mirror B

Mirror A

Viewer


Mirror B

Mirror A

Viewer


B. MMX Setup after correctionSame: Ray emitted from source.

A. MM ExperimentRay emitted from source.

Source SourceSplitter Splitter


MMX Setup after correction Same: Ray split into 2.

In MM ExperimentRay split into 2, like two swimmers.

Beam B

SplitterBeam A

Beam B

Beam ASplitter


MMX Setup after correctionSystem moves to right.Beam A moves further.Beam B moves upwards.

In MM Experiment System moves to right. Beam A travels further.Beam B. Michelson’s idea comes into play. Here, 𝑡𝑡 stands for time.

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 1 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹 + 𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑐𝑐𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐 − 𝑣𝑣

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 2 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹

=𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐

𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡


Beam B’s altered path

According to Michelson’s river analogy, Beam B will seek a slanting path instead of going straight up due to the influence of the aether current. What so special about the beam is that is still travelling at speed 𝑐𝑐.

21

𝑐𝑐

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐵𝐵 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐2𝑡𝑡2 − 𝑣𝑣2𝑡𝑡2 = 𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹2

𝑡𝑡2 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹2

𝑐𝑐2 − 𝑣𝑣2

𝑡𝑡 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐 1 − 𝑣𝑣2/𝑐𝑐2

𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


Beam B returned path

This happens also in the return trip. Beam B will seek a slanting path when the system is in its third position.

21 3

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐵𝐵 𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐2𝑡𝑡2 − 𝑣𝑣2𝑡𝑡2 = 𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹2

𝑡𝑡2 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹2

𝑐𝑐2 − 𝑣𝑣2

𝑡𝑡 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑐𝑐𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


21 3

𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑐𝑐𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐

𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

Beam B Total Path

So the total trip time is the sum of the two:

2𝑡𝑡 =2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹



MMX Setup after correctionSystem moves further to right. Beam A returns.Beam B is reflected downwards.

In MM Experiment [Michelson]System moves further to right.

Beam A forward time = 𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑐𝑐+𝑣𝑣

Beam B forward time = 𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑐𝑐 1−𝑣𝑣2/𝑐𝑐2


=𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴 𝑓𝑓𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐 + 𝑣𝑣

𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐𝑡𝑡

𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡


=𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹 + 𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑐𝑐


MMX Setup after correctionSystem moves further to right. Beam A returns.Beam B is reflected downwards.

In MM Experiment [Michelson]System moves further to right. Beam A returns.Beam B diverts again after reflection.

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐵𝐵 𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴 𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑙𝐵𝐵𝑐𝑐𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐 − 𝑣𝑣

𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐

𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐵𝐵 𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹

=𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴 𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑙𝐵𝐵𝑐𝑐𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹 =𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹 − 𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑐𝑐


MMX Setup after correctionSub-total time:

Beam A time = 2𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑐𝑐

Beam B time = 2𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑐𝑐

In MM Experiment [Michelson]Sub-total time:

Beam A time 2𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑜

𝑐𝑐 1−𝑣𝑣2/𝑐𝑐2

Beam B time 2𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑐𝑐 1−𝑣𝑣2/𝑐𝑐2

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹+𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 =2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴 𝑓𝑓𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹+𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑙𝐵𝐵𝑐𝑐𝑅𝑅𝑓𝑓𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷

=𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐 + 𝑣𝑣 +𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐 − 𝑣𝑣 =2𝑐𝑐𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐2 − 𝑣𝑣2 =2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹

𝑐𝑐

𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐵𝐵 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹+𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹

2𝑡𝑡 =2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐴𝐴 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹+𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑙𝐵𝐵𝑐𝑐𝑅𝑅𝑓𝑓𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷

=𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹 + 𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑐𝑐 +𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹 − 𝑣𝑣𝑡𝑡

𝑐𝑐 =2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐


MMX Setup after correctionSame: Both beams recombined to be analysed. No fringes as expected.

In MM Experiment [Michelson]Both beams recombined to be analysed. Results should show fringes. But no fringes found.


Comparison

𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇 𝐴𝐴

=2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇 𝐵𝐵

=2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹


𝐶𝐶𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑇𝑇𝑐𝑐𝑡𝑡 𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇 𝐴𝐴

=2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐

𝐶𝐶𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑇𝑇𝑐𝑐𝑡𝑡 𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇𝐵𝐵𝑇𝑇 𝐵𝐵

=2𝑙𝑙𝐹𝐹𝑐𝑐

MMX difference in timing MMX after correction


The Misconceived Path – The Excalibur

According to the system of corrected paths, there should have been no interference fringe. No matter what was done to improve or modify the system, the results were the same, as Michelson and other scientists had found. That is also why we said the experiment was doomed to fail at the very beginning. But we have finally found where the Excalibur is.

Beam ASplitter

Beam B


What about these places where light interact with the mirrors. They should be spots of delays as well.


The Hidden Timing

There is time delay alright at these spots. But unlike free spaces between the mirrors where photons (light) travels freely. The places where light interacts with material bodies are at the mirrors are only turning spaces. They incur similar time delay at each spot.


tt

t

t t

t

Similar Delay Time

If you add them together, they end up the same.For path A there are three changing points. Same for path B. So both will arrive at the analyser at the same time. No fringe will be found.


The Survival of the MMX

However, I still do not quite get it.All scientists after the MM experiment knew that the aether no longer existed, although many of them still tried hard to salvage it. How come they still keep and practise the historic experiment as if Michelson’s idea was the genuine truth?


The Spawn Ground of Modern Physics

The reasons are quite complicated.But in general, the MM experiment was significant not only because it disproved the existence of aether, but also because it turned out to the breeding ground for the birth of a new theory that rocked the very foundation of classical physics.


THE MAKING OF PANDORA’S BOX

ABCC

To be continued in: Episode 2.08

Science

Cosmic Adventure Episode 2.07 Secrets of MMX