Trouton–Noble experiment
E32680
The Trouton–Noble experiment was an early 20th-century test of the luminiferous aether that searched for a torque on a charged capacitor in motion and, by finding no such effect, provided support for the emerging theory of special relativity.
Aliases (1)
Statements (45)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
aether-drift experiment
→
physics experiment → test of special relativity → |
| addressedProblem |
compatibility of electromagnetism with Galilean relativity
→
existence of absolute rest frame → |
| aimedToDetect |
torque on a moving charged capacitor
→
|
| alsoKnownAs |
Trouton and Noble experiment
→
|
| assumedFrame |
aether rest frame
→
|
| category |
historical experiments in relativity
→
tests of Lorentz invariance → |
| conclusion |
no evidence for motion through luminiferous aether
→
result consistent with special relativity → |
| contradictsTheory |
simple stationary aether models
→
|
| country |
United Kingdom
→
|
| era |
pre-World War I physics
→
|
| expectedResultUnderAetherTheory |
non-zero torque on the capacitor when in uniform motion through aether
→
|
| field |
electromagnetism
→
relativity → |
| historicalSignificance |
early empirical support for Einstein’s special relativity
→
helped undermine the luminiferous aether hypothesis → |
| interpretedUsing |
Lorentz transformations
→
|
| measurementType |
torque measurement
→
|
| motionTypeTested |
uniform translational motion
→
|
| namedAfter |
Frederick Thomas Trouton
→
H. R. Noble → |
| observedResult |
no measurable torque
→
|
| performedAt |
University College London
→
|
| performedIn |
early 20th century
→
|
| predictionFrom |
aether theory
→
pre-relativistic electromagnetic theory → |
| principle |
a moving electric field in aether should create a magnetic field and mechanical torque
→
|
| publicationType |
peer-reviewed physics paper
→
|
| relatedConcept |
Poynting vector
→
electromagnetic momentum → relativistic transformation of fields → |
| relatedTo |
Lorentz invariance
→
Michelson–Morley experiment → relativistic electrodynamics → |
| resultType |
null result
→
|
| supportsTheory |
special relativity
→
|
| testedHypothesis |
existence of luminiferous aether
→
motion through aether produces observable electromagnetic effects → |
| usedApparatus |
charged parallel-plate capacitor
→
suspension system to detect torque → |
| year |
1903
→
|
Referenced by (2)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Trouton–Noble experiment
("Trouton and Noble experiment")
→
|
alsoKnownAs |
|
Michelson–Morley experiment
→
|
relatedTo |