Superconductivity Lab, Fall 01

A modulated laser was set up so that the beam went through a beam splitter and reflected off a mirror. The reflected beam from the beam splitter was pointed into one hole on the light sensor. The other beam was reflected off a mirror, and returned to the other hole on the light sensor. A lens with a focal length of approximatel six inches was used to focus the beam into the hole. An ocilloscope was used to read the difference between the two beams. Set at 0.5 volts per division, 820 Hertz, and a time interval of 1 ms, the waves were off by approximately 0.2 divisions. Using the equation given in the lab instructions, and the fact that the total distance traveled by the light was 17.48 meters, our value for the speed of light came out to 6.78 x 10^8 meters per second.

一个调制的激光被设置成，光束通过一个分束器并反射到一个镜子上。从分束器反射回来的光束被指向光传感器的一个孔。另一束光则被反射到另一个镜子上，并返回到光传感器的另一个孔。一个焦距约为六英寸的透镜被用来将光束聚焦到孔中。使用示波器读取两束光的差异。示波器设置为每格0.5伏特，820赫兹，和1毫秒的时间间隔，两束光的差异大约为0.2格。使用实验室说明中给出的方程，并考虑到光的总路程为17.48米，我们计算出的光速为6.78 x 10^8米每秒。