Uploaded June 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The Michelson-Morley Experiment results were... unexpected. Learn how this experiment, conducted at what is now Case Western Reserve University, challenged the existence of the luminiferous ether (aether) and showed the *beauty* of the Scientific Method.
Learn how a "failed" experiment became one of the most important discoveries in physics, paving the way for Einstein’s theory of relativity, de Broglie's wave-particle duality of light, quantum mechanics, and changing how we think about light, motion, and truth in science.
Includes:
- Luminiferous ether that guided scientists for centuries & its downfall
- Scientific Method
- Michelson-Morley experiment summary and setup
- Real-world application of experimental failure
- Results and Impact: Learn why the experiment is considered a turning point in science, leading to the development of Einstein's theory of relativity, de Broglie's wave-particle duality of light, and quantum mechanics.
Related Units:
If you want a strong foundation for chemistry, watch the full playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMssGHFrR4Ee7_-8cFBvBkgN
If you're studying early atomic theory, this playlist is your friend: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMszGN5XY0QXNP_t-9Z-B8C2
If you're studying for the MCAT: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMuJZI5IVWO8X0syBANn-YqY
🍵Buy the Professor a tea to keep the videos coming: patreon.com/c/ChemistryinaNutshell
🧪 For the chemist who prefers eyebrows: Grab the complete collection of 11 hand-drawn lab safety posters: payhip.com/b/SNQL0
🔬As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Start your shopping here: amazon.com/shop/chemnut?ccs_id=11f20bce-5f74-427b-85fb-bdf66849405a
Time Stamps:
0:00 Intro
0:41 Define the Problem / Young's Double Slit Experiment
1:47 Develop a Hypothesis / The Ether
5:40 Perform Experiments / Optically Detectable Ether?
7:18 Michelson-Morley Experiment
7:50 Contribute Knowledge / Michelson-Morley Results
Credits:
Free B-roll by Videezy: videezy.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Double-slit.svg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Young%27s_slits.jpg
pixabay.com/illustrations/leaves-water-ripple-5623418
"Plato and Aristotle" by Image Editor is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.
pexels.com/photo/green-tree-268533
A ray of light being refracted in a plastic block By ajizai - docstoc.com/docs/130534946/Chapter-7-Refractive-index, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30455241
"Diffraction pattern of red laser beam made on a plate after passing through a small circular aperture in another plate. Physical optics is used to explain effects such as diffraction." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction#/media/File:Laser_Interference.JPG
pixabay.com/photos/boat-lake-sunset-silhouette-rowing-5000655
pixabay.com/photos/earth-planet-space-world-universe-11009
By The original uploader was Bunzil at English Wikipedia. commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2622010
By This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by Cleveland Public Library as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America, via its partner Ohio Digital Network.Record in source catalogDPLA identifier: 14e3c8f7e1c1b3728376637d7c07405eCleveland Public Library identifier: P-Morely, Edward William, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114635513
"Michelson-morley" is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/?ref=openverse.
(Thumbnail Image) By w:Albert Abraham Michelson - archive.org/details/americanjournal62unkngoog, p. 124, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6355848
#ScientificMethod #MichelsonMorley #PhysicsHistory #LuminiferousEther #ScienceEducation #LearnPhysics #CWRU #CaseWestern
The Michelson-Morley Experiment results were... unexpected. Learn how this experiment, conducted at what is now Case Western Reserve University, challenged the existence of the luminiferous ether (aether) and showed the *beauty* of the Scientific Method.
Learn how a "failed" experiment became one of the most important discoveries in physics, paving the way for Einstein’s theory of relativity, de Broglie's wave-particle duality of light, quantum mechanics, and changing how we think about light, motion, and truth in science.
Includes:
- Luminiferous ether that guided scientists for centuries & its downfall
- Scientific Method
- Michelson-Morley experiment summary and setup
- Real-world application of experimental failure
- Results and Impact: Learn why the experiment is considered a turning point in science, leading to the development of Einstein's theory of relativity, de Broglie's wave-particle duality of light, and quantum mechanics.
Related Units:
If you want a strong foundation for chemistry, watch the full playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMssGHFrR4Ee7_-8cFBvBkgN
If you're studying early atomic theory, this playlist is your friend: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMszGN5XY0QXNP_t-9Z-B8C2
If you're studying for the MCAT: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMuJZI5IVWO8X0syBANn-YqY
🍵Buy the Professor a tea to keep the videos coming: patreon.com/c/ChemistryinaNutshell
🧪 For the chemist who prefers eyebrows: Grab the complete collection of 11 hand-drawn lab safety posters: payhip.com/b/SNQL0
🔬As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Start your shopping here: amazon.com/shop/chemnut?ccs_id=11f20bce-5f74-427b-85fb-bdf66849405a
Time Stamps:
0:00 Intro
0:41 Define the Problem / Young's Double Slit Experiment
1:47 Develop a Hypothesis / The Ether
5:40 Perform Experiments / Optically Detectable Ether?
7:18 Michelson-Morley Experiment
7:50 Contribute Knowledge / Michelson-Morley Results
Credits:
Free B-roll by Videezy: videezy.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Double-slit.svg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Young%27s_slits.jpg
pixabay.com/illustrations/leaves-water-ripple-5623418
"Plato and Aristotle" by Image Editor is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.
pexels.com/photo/green-tree-268533
A ray of light being refracted in a plastic block By ajizai - docstoc.com/docs/130534946/Chapter-7-Refractive-index, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30455241
"Diffraction pattern of red laser beam made on a plate after passing through a small circular aperture in another plate. Physical optics is used to explain effects such as diffraction." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction#/media/File:Laser_Interference.JPG
pixabay.com/photos/boat-lake-sunset-silhouette-rowing-5000655
pixabay.com/photos/earth-planet-space-world-universe-11009
By The original uploader was Bunzil at English Wikipedia. commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2622010
By This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by Cleveland Public Library as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America, via its partner Ohio Digital Network.Record in source catalogDPLA identifier: 14e3c8f7e1c1b3728376637d7c07405eCleveland Public Library identifier: P-Morely, Edward William, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114635513
"Michelson-morley" is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/?ref=openverse.
(Thumbnail Image) By w:Albert Abraham Michelson - archive.org/details/americanjournal62unkngoog, p. 124, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6355848
#ScientificMethod #MichelsonMorley #PhysicsHistory #LuminiferousEther #ScienceEducation #LearnPhysics #CWRU #CaseWestern
