Abstract

Based on the great Michelson-Morley experiment and predecessors’ analyses, this famous experiment was reviewed under the principle that velocity of light is independent of the motion of the light source emitting or reflecting it, mainly on time difference or optical path difference (OPD). We will discover in this work that predecessors’ analysis on the famous experiment may be improper, and that there is no difference or OPD in some directions, while there is difference or OPD in other directions after a lot of calculation is done. The light beam is divided into many light rays in the analysis, leading to the research on its effect on the light rays.

Key words: Aether, optical path difference (OPD), Michelson, interferometer, inertia, light, velocity.