Physics Notes - Herong's Tutorial Notes - v3.24, by Herong Yang
Measuring Speed of Light - Foucault's Method
This section describes the method used by Léon Foucault to measure the speed of light using using a rotating mirror and a fixed mirror.
In 1857, the French physicist Léon Foucault enhanced Fizeau method to measure the speed of light using a rotating mirror and a fixed mirror, as illustrated in the picture below.
Foucault's measurement is based on the following idea:
Using this idea, Foucault was able to measure the speed of light as 299,796,000 m/s. This is very close to today's definition of the speed of light: 299,792,458 m/s.
Table of Contents
Introduction of Frame of Reference
Different Speeds Observed in Different Frames
Measuring Speed of Light - Roemer's Method
Measuring Speed of Light - Fizeau's Method
►Measuring Speed of Light - Foucault's Method
Introduction of Special Relativity
Time Dilation in Special Relativity
Length Contraction in Special Relativity
The Relativity of Simultaneity
Minkowski Spacetime and Diagrams
Introduction of Generalized Coordinates