Speed of Light Measurement
Speed of Light Measurement
Speed of Light Measurement
Brett Schuessler
Unveristy of Hawaii at Manoa
Physics 480L: Tom Browder
brettsch@hawaii.edu
In this lab we measured the speed of light experimentally by examining the travel time of light
pulses over a known distance. Several thousand data points were taken and three fitting methods
were employed: Two single gaussians, a double gaussian, and leading edge linear fits. Results
obtained were (2.92 0.08)108 m/s, (2.91 0.08)108 m/s, and (2.9 0.11)108 m/s respectively - all
within 1 of the defined value: c = 299,792,458 m/s.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
ANALYTICAL PROCEDURE
t =
N
(ns)
(9.38 + / 0.072)
(2)
cexp =
2L
t
c= 299,792,458 m/s.
Fit t (ns)
cexp (m/s)
I 71.5 1.8 (2.92 0.08)108
II 71.7 1.8 (2.91 0.08)108
III 69.9 2.5 (2.99 0.11)108
(3)