Category:
Research Papers
Sub-Category:
Mechanics / Electrodynamics
Date Published:
October 27, 2019
Keywords:
Fizeau experiment; Fresnel's drag coefficient; Michelson's 1886 experiment; refractive media; classical wave theory; Larmor-Lorentz theory; special relativity; new-source emission theory; elastic-impact emission theory.
Abstract:
In this investigation, Michelson's 1886 repetition of the Fizeau experiment is briefly reviewed. And several derivations of the Fresnel's drag coefficient are presented and analyzed in detail. In addition, it's demonstrated that although the search for measurable changes, due to refraction, in the values of stellar aberration was the primary motivation for the original derivation of the Fresnel's drag coefficient, no effects of refraction on stellar aberration, in the related cases, are physically possible. And also, it's established that, contrary to the basic assumption of the derivation of Fresnel's drag coefficient by A. Michelson, a prism of glass moving in a straight line and water flowing inside stationary brass tubes are not kinematically equivalent to each other; since the latter always exhibits variations in mass depending on the direction of incident light; while the former does not show any variations at all. And finally, it's pointed out, in the current investigation, that the Larmor-Lorentz theory, the special theory of relativity, and the new-source emission theory face theoretical difficulties in explaining away the reported result of the Fizeau experiment ... ... ...
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