Albert Abraham Michelson facts for kids
Albert Abraham Michelson (born December 19, 1852 – died May 9, 1931) was an amazing American physicist. He was born in Strzelno (which was in Posen, Prussia, but is now in Poland). He grew up in sunny California. Michelson became famous for his important work on figuring out the exact speed of light. Because of his groundbreaking discoveries, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1907. He was the very first American scientist to ever receive this huge honor!
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Who Was Albert Michelson?
Albert Abraham Michelson was born in a small town called Strzelno. This town was part of Prussia back then, but today it's in Poland. When he was just a young boy, his family moved all the way to the United States, settling in California. He was a very bright student and went to the United States Naval Academy. This is a special school for people who want to become officers in the U.S. Navy. After graduating, he taught science there for a few years.
Discovering the Speed of Light
Michelson was fascinated by light. One of the biggest questions in physics at the time was: How fast does light travel? Scientists knew it was incredibly fast, but getting an exact measurement was very difficult.
Michelson designed clever experiments to measure the speed of light with amazing accuracy. He used special mirrors and rotating devices to time how long it took light to travel a certain distance. His measurements were much more precise than any done before.
The Michelson–Morley Experiment
One of his most famous experiments was the Michelson–Morley experiment, which he did with Edward Morley. This experiment tried to find something called "luminiferous aether." Scientists thought this aether was a special substance that light waves traveled through, like sound waves travel through air.
However, Michelson and Morley's experiment showed that there was no evidence of this aether. This surprising result was very important. It helped pave the way for Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, which changed how we understand space and time.
A Nobel Prize Winner
In 1907, Albert Michelson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. He received it for his precise measurements of the speed of light and for his work on optical tools. This made him the first American to win a Nobel Prize in any science field. It was a huge achievement!
Michelson continued his research throughout his life. He worked at several universities, including the University of Chicago. He also served in the United States Navy during World War I. His work helped us understand more about the universe and how light behaves.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Page one of Michelson's Experimental Determination of the Velocity of Light
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Concluding page of Michelson's Experimental Determination of the Velocity of Light
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The horizontal structure mounted at the top of the Hooker Telescope implements Michelson's stellar interferometer (1920). Mirrors on that stage (not visible in picture) redirect starlight from two smaller apertures up to 20 feet (6m) apart into the telescope.
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"Albert Abraham Michelson was born in this city on December 19, 1852. He was a professor at the University of Chicago, a Nobel laureate, who, with his famous experiments on the speed of light, started a new era in the development of physics. This plaque was placed to celebrate the foundation of great physics." A commemorative plaque in Strzelno, Poland, installed by the Polish Physical Society.
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A monument at United States Naval Academy marks the path of Michelson's experiments measuring the speed of light.
See also
In Spanish: Albert Abraham Michelson para niños
