experiment experiment carried measure relative speeds light moving water special arrangement measure effect movement medium speed light according theories prevailing time light traveling moving medium dragged medium measured speed light simple sum speed medium plus speed medium detected dragging effect magnitude effect observed far lower expected results seemingly supported partial drag hypothesis situation half century passed satisfactory explanation unexpected measurement developed advent theory special later pointed importance experiment special referred experiment active carried wide variety different experiments involving measuring speed light situations experimental setup light ray source reflected beam parallel beam lens passing slits rays light travel tubes water streaming forth shown arrows rays reflect mirror focus lens ray direction water stream ray opposite direction water stream passing forth tubes rays unite produce interference fringes illustrated interference pattern analyzed determine speed light traveling leg tube drag assume water flows pipes speed according non theory speed light increased dragged water decreased overcoming resistance water overall speed beam light simple sum speed water plus speed water index water velocity light stationary water predicted speed light arm formula predicted speed arm formula light traveling flow water slower light traveling flow water interference pattern beams light observer depends transit times paths speed light function speed water found formula words light appeared dragged water magnitude dragging lower expected experiment forced accept validity old theoretically unsatisfactory theory invoked explain experiment medium moving stationary light fraction medium speed dragging given formula predicted existence extra term formula repeated experiment improved accuracy addressing concerns original experiment optical components apparatus cause fringe displacement observations rushed flow water lasted short time flow profile water flowing small diameter tubes meant central portions available resulting faint fringes determination flow rate diameter tubes redesigned apparatus larger diameter tubes large reservoir providing minutes steady water flow common path design provided automatic compensation path length white light fringes visible soon optical elements aligned light path number reflections light path offered extremely stable fringes superior design odd number reflections order completely movement optical components stability possible insert glass plate hold match light path displacing center fringe system apparatus able completely confirm results experiments conducted scaled version apparatus connected directly amsterdam main water able perform extended measurements light ranging violet red confirm modified rotating device overall confirmed dragging additionally found systematic bias data later turned effect experiments conducted measuring dragging combination effect instance experiments ring rotating experiments transverse dragging effect observed medium moving right angles direction incident light experiment indirect confirmation dragging provided apparatus similar version arm contained area filled resting water arm air seen observer resting earth water motion following travel times light rays traveling opposite directions calculated transverse direction image travel times indicated interference shift dragging applied water frame travel time difference order different actually obtained result confirming dragging similar experiment possibility wind experiment particular version experiment shown disperse light spectrum passed entering apparatus apparatus oriented parallel hypothetical wind expected light circuit respect represented integral number expected interference represented half integral number expected destructive interference absence dragging expectation observed spectrum continuous apparatus oriented wind banded apparatus oriented parallel wind actual experimental results completely negative controversy hypothesis successful explaining results leading experts field including united considering partial dragging hypothesis theoretical grounds example demonstrated formula implies dragged different amounts different colors light index depends demonstrated similar result light traveling medium words capable sustaining different motions time dissatisfaction result experiment easily conclusion report success experiment render adoption hypothesis necessary law found expression alteration velocity light effect motion body law found true strong proof favour hypothesis consequence conception appear extraordinary respects difficult admit profound examination necessary adopting expression real facts case despite dissatisfaction partial dragging hypothesis improvements experiment sections confirmed results high accuracy problems partial dragging hypothesis major problem arose experiment theory stationary experiment given positive result result experiment negative viewpoint models time experimental situation contradictory hand light experiment repetition appeared support partial dragging hand experiment appeared prove rest respect earth apparently supporting idea complete dragging drag hypothesis success hypothesis explaining results helped lead theoretical crisis resolved development theory special interpretation proposed modification model completely stationary succeeded dragging result interaction moving water discovered transition reference frame simplified auxiliary time variable called local time formula generally explained based concept local time theory fundamental problem stationary contradicted experiment proposed moving bodies contract direction motion hypothesis arrived conclusion describe effects developed called honor identical form later derive principles unlike strictly hoc justification work special showed derived logical outcome set simple starting addition recognized stationary concept place special transformation concerns nature space time moving conductor problem negative drift experiments light experiment key experimental results shaped thinking reported conversations emphasized importance experiment continued experimental results influenced observations stellar measurements speed light moving water said demonstrated drag easily explained natural consequence formula addition speed light water velocity composition law follows speed light observed laboratory water flowing speed direction light formula difference speed assuming small comparing dropping higher order terms formula formula accurate agrees formula based measurements satisfied condition experiment supporting evidence case velocity addition formula
Fizeau experiment