What is ether wind?
Scientists knew a lot about waves. They gave it a name: luminiferous ether, which means “the stuff which carries light waves.” As the Earth orbits around the Sun, it must run through the ether. That will cause an “ether wind” w near the Earth’s surface, blowing in the direction opposite to the Earth’s motion u.
What are ether waves?
ether or aether, in physics and astronomy, a hypothetical medium for transmitting light and heat (radiation), filling all unoccupied space; it is also called luminiferous ether. In Newtonian physics all waves are propagated through a medium, e.g., water waves through water, sound waves through air.
What does the speed of a wave depend on?
Waves and Energy: The speed of a wave is dependant on four factors: wavelength, frequency, medium, and temperature. Wave speed is calculated by multiplying the wavelength times the frequency (speed = l * f). Certain conditions make the following calculations easy. speed is constant in a given medium.
Is ether in the sky?
the upper regions of space; the clear sky; the heavens.
What is the meaning of ether winds?
Answer Wiki. “Ether winds” are usually the effect of motion through the medium light propagates in. While it’s spelled aether in modern times, light was believed to be a physical wave in some sort of exotic undetected matter they called “Ether” as a reference to the ancient concepts of space. The speed of a wave in a medium is just an effect…
What is the earth’s motion through the ether?
And because the Earth’s rotation on its axis and its movement around the sun this ether could be described as a ghostly wind blowing through the Earth. Detecting the motion of the Earth through the “ether wind” was the next challenge Michelson set himself after his triumph in measuring the speed of light so accurately.
How fast is the speed of light?
As a result of Michelson’s efforts in 1879, the speed of light was known to be 186,350 miles per second (299,909 kilometers per second). Still, this did not really clarify the nature of light.
What are the mechanical qualities of the aether?
By this point the mechanical qualities of the aether had become more and more magical: it had to be a fluid in order to fill space, but one that was millions of times more rigid than steel in order to support the high frequencies of light waves.