Imagine you, alone, by yourself could measure the ultimate speed of light? And no, I'm not talking about travelling all the way to an advanced laboratory with professional scientists by your side watching your every move. I'm thinking more about that place in your home called a kitchen? Yes. You CAN measure the speed of light in the humblest of humbles, in your very own home. All you will need is a microwave oven, a few "melt-able", preferably tasty, foods at your home, a ruler, and a calculator. It can't get any simpler! So the only remaining question is, how?
There's always that theory side of practical subjects whether it be music, food technology, PDHPE or even dance! The same applies to scientific experiments. When conducting an experiment, despite the fun of actually performing it, it is necessary for one to understand the 'science' behind the reaction/resulting occurrence of the experiment for you to evaluate and/or make conclusions.
In this experiment we will be referring to the following terms and concepts:
- waves (frequency, wavelength, anti-nodes and nodes, interference etc.)
- the speed of light
- the electromagnetic spectrum
- microwaves
In this experiment we will be referring to the following terms and concepts:
- waves (frequency, wavelength, anti-nodes and nodes, interference etc.)
- the speed of light
- the electromagnetic spectrum
- microwaves
The Speed of Light
The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 300 000 000 meters per second. If you could travel at the speed of light, you could go around the Earth 7.5 times in one second. Early scientists, unable to perceive light’s motion, thought travelled instantaneously. However, over time, measurements of the speed of these wave-like particles became more and more precise.
In Albert Einstein's first paper on special relativity, he established that light travels at the same speed no matter how fast the observer moves. Even using the most precise measurements possible, the speed of light remains the same for an observer standing still as it does for one traveling in a supersonic jet above. Similarly, Einstein calculated that the speed of light doesn't vary with time or place.
The great fact of this theory is that microwaves (you will learn about them soon), which are part of the electromagnetic spectrum (you will learn about this too very soon), travel at the same speed as light does! Can this get any more exciting?
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In Albert Einstein's first paper on special relativity, he established that light travels at the same speed no matter how fast the observer moves. Even using the most precise measurements possible, the speed of light remains the same for an observer standing still as it does for one traveling in a supersonic jet above. Similarly, Einstein calculated that the speed of light doesn't vary with time or place.
The great fact of this theory is that microwaves (you will learn about them soon), which are part of the electromagnetic spectrum (you will learn about this too very soon), travel at the same speed as light does! Can this get any more exciting?
NEXT PAGE