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Physics Lab #9

This document describes an experiment to measure the speed of light using a HeNe laser, rotating mirror, and frosted scale. The objectives were to measure the speed of light and understand rotational motion terms. Data was collected on the beam displacement and counter frequency, from which the speed of light was calculated. Questions were asked and answered about the experiment setup and calculations.

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5 views4 pages

Physics Lab #9

This document describes an experiment to measure the speed of light using a HeNe laser, rotating mirror, and frosted scale. The objectives were to measure the speed of light and understand rotational motion terms. Data was collected on the beam displacement and counter frequency, from which the speed of light was calculated. Questions were asked and answered about the experiment setup and calculations.

Uploaded by

FatRoot
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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1

Title:
THE “DAY” TIME SPEED LIMIT IS—669,600,000 (mi/hr)

Objectives:

1. To measure the speed of light


2. To understand and use rotational motion terms

Equations:

L= total distance traveled


r= distance from rotating mirror to frosted scaled screen
Slope= change in position (Sn) over frequency (fcn)

Data:

(si) Beam
displacement (fci) Counter frequency
(mm) (hz)
3 358
4 449
5 573
6 675
7 783
8 884
9 1021
10 1144

Calculation:
2
3

Observations:
I found it fascinating to think that through the careful and calculated use of
mirrors we were able to control the movement a few select photons over a distance of 140
meters and then capture them with such a degree of accuracy. Even more amazing is to
think that these captured photons traveled throughout the room at a speed truly beyond
our comprehension.

Questions:
Q1. Why was mirror Q placed a little higher than all other mirrors?
A1. Mirror deflects the beam out of the field of the spreading photons from the rotating
mirror. Mirror Q deflects the photons below the main stream onto the frosted
(mm) scale, 3 meters away from the rotating mirror for direct viewing and
precision measurement of the ending distance.

Q2. Find the time it takes light to travel the distance L.


A2. L=4MN+PQ+QR=4.677*10-7 sec.

Q3. (a)How long would it take a photon to travel to Tel Aviv. Israel (8,000 mi) and back
again to La Sierra? (b)To the Moon (240,000 mi) and back to La Sierra? (c)The
sum (93,000,000 mi) and back to La Sierra?
A3. a. 5.337*10-5 sec
b. .0016 sec.
c. .620 sec.
Q6. What advantage does graphing the data have over just plugging data into the
equation?
A6. When we turn on the rotating mirror the machine moves slightly causing an error to
occur in our calculations. However, by graphing the data we can compensate for
this error of change (s=sn-so)

Q8. Approximately what size of angle, θ, in degrees, is being measured when the arc
length is 4 mm? Use dimensions as measured in this experiment.
A8. β=s/R s= Arclength (4 mm)
R=distance from rotating mirror to frosted scaled screen
s/R=.0765°
4

Conclusions:
1) In this experiment we were able to calculate the speed of light (c) through the use
of a HeNe laser and a rotating mirror. The laser emitted photons which were then
reflected off of the rotating mirror through our frosted (mm) scale and onto a
series of different mirrors (M,N,O,P) each one meter above the ground. Once the
photons hit mirror M they are then deflected onto mirror Q which is 1.2 m above
the ground, this mirror then deflects it below the plane of the main stream through
a lens which focuses our few remaining photons. From the lens the photons travel
once again through the rotating mirror which deflects them at a new shifted angle
onto the frosted (mm) scale. Therefore the frosted scale has two projections on it
which when measured against the frequency which graphed equals the speed of
light (c).
2) Our calculated speed of light from the experiment was 2.9583*108 (m/s). Our
percent error (%EofD) for c was 1.3%. Given this minute %EofD I would
consider the experiment to be a success given the difficulty of calculating
something so miniscule as a photon traveling at such an incredible speed.
3) One of the key points that I learned from this experiment was that a reflected ray
rotates 2X the reflected surface, and though in hindsight it seems to make perfect
sense it was only when I could see it first hand that I understood the logic behind
this phenomenon.

Application:
It is written in Revelations that at the time of the second coming Jesus will
descend through “the clouds, and every eye will see Him” (Rev. 1:7). As a child this
thought of every eye always perplexed me because even if Jesus enlarged Himself to a
cosmic size and revealed Himself to the world those people on the other side would not
be able to see him. However, after conducting this experiment and listening Mr. Bobst
lecture on the scientific aspect of God’s omnipresence I am beginning to understand how
this could be accomplished. If Jesus descended upon earth at the speed of light he would
be traveling at such a tremendous speed that distance would not be a factor. Therefore, it
would be possible for every eye to see Him.

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