Kennedy–Thorndike experiment
E32550
The Kennedy–Thorndike experiment is a classic test of special relativity that examined the constancy of the speed of light using an interferometer with unequal arm lengths and varying laboratory velocity.
All labels observed (1)
| Label | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Kennedy–Thorndike experiment canonical | 5 |
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
physics experiment
ⓘ
test of special relativity ⓘ |
| aim |
detect dependence of light speed on laboratory velocity
ⓘ
test time dilation independently of length contraction ⓘ |
| approach |
monitor fringe shifts over time
ⓘ
one arm parallel to Earth’s motion ⓘ one arm perpendicular to Earth’s motion ⓘ |
| assumes |
inertial laboratory frame
ⓘ
no preferred reference frame ⓘ |
| category |
experiments in special relativity
ⓘ
tests of the speed of light constancy ⓘ |
| comparedWith |
Michelson–Morley experiment
ⓘ
surface form:
Michelson–Morley experiment with equal arms
|
| constrains |
Lorentz-violating theories
ⓘ
ether-drift theories ⓘ |
| countryOfOrigin |
United States of America
ⓘ
surface form:
United States
|
| dependsOn | Earth’s changing velocity around the Sun ⓘ |
| designedBy |
Edward L. Thorndike
ⓘ
surface form:
Edward M. Thorndike
Roy J. Kennedy ⓘ |
| field |
physics
ⓘ
relativity ⓘ |
| historicalPeriod | early 20th century ⓘ |
| implies | time dilation must accompany length contraction ⓘ |
| influenced | development of precision tests of relativity ⓘ |
| inspired | modern resonator-based tests of Lorentz invariance ⓘ |
| measures | fringe shift in interferometer ⓘ |
| namedAfter |
Edward L. Thorndike
ⓘ
surface form:
Edward M. Thorndike
Roy J. Kennedy ⓘ |
| performedAt | Mount Wilson Observatory ⓘ |
| precision | high-precision test of Lorentz invariance ⓘ |
| publishedIn | Physical Review ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Einstein’s special relativity
ⓘ
Ives–Stilwell experiment ⓘ Lorentz transformation ⓘ Michelson–Morley experiment ⓘ |
| result | null result ⓘ |
| status | experimentally confirmed ⓘ |
| supports | special relativity ⓘ |
| tests |
Lorentz invariance
ⓘ
constancy of the speed of light ⓘ isotropy of the speed of light ⓘ length contraction ⓘ time dilation ⓘ |
| theoreticalFramework |
Lorentz transformation
ⓘ
surface form:
Lorentz–Einstein transformations
|
| uses |
Earth’s orbital motion
ⓘ
optical interferometer ⓘ unequal arm lengths ⓘ |
| year | 1932 ⓘ |
Referenced by (5)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.