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Experiments are used to confirm the predictions of models and theories. While they cannot positively confirm the existence of a single theory as the only way of explaining the result, they can be used to validate the predictions of the model or theory.

Some proponents of SRT suggest that Einstein’s theory is the only theory that is experimentally supported by experiments like Michelson-Morley or Ives-Stillwell. This section will explore this assertion with surprising results!

Comparing SRT to the CICS Model

The Complete and Incomplete Coordinate Systems model offers corrections to Einstein’s equations, introduces a new set of equations, and offer predictions that differ from those defined by SRT. Since it corrects specific problems with SRT, it must offer equal or better quantitative predictions of the experimental results.

Overview

The 1887 Michelson and Morley experiment was a very innovative experiment with the goal of detecting the orbital (or rotational) velocity of the earth of 30 kilometers per second. They used a device, called an Interferometer, to measure the time difference (also referred to asdisplacement) between two perpendicular paths of light.

Michelson and Morley, as they state in their paper, were able to detect a velocity of 5 to 7.5km/s. Proponents of SRT suggest that this result is within the range of experimental error and that it should be interpreted as 0 km/s, thus agreeing with the predictions of SRT.
But, is this interpretation right?

When analyzed using statiscially, the Michelson-Morley result does not support an experimental result of 0km/s with over 99.9% confidence.  This means that there’s something else going on.  We find that the problem is within their equations, which do not take into account the difference between length and wavlength, among other things.   Once correct, we find their data actually detected an earth orbital velocity of 30 km/s.

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Overview

The Ives and Stillwell Atomic Clock experiment is one of the first to measure the Doppler Effect for waves traveling at very fast velocities. They were able to measure the shift in the “center of gravity” as well as the Doppler displacement. Ives and Stillwell were not proponents of Special Relativity. In fact, they concluded that their experimental findings supported the theoretical predictions of Larmor-Lorentz.  Some have asserted that the SRT equations are the only set of equations that can predict this experiment’s resutls.  Not only is this not true, but the CICS equations seem to do it with better accuracy.

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Overview

Recently, several experiments have been performed that suggest that the speed of light can be changed. Many of these experiments have slowed the velocity of light or have stopped it completely, freezing its position in space momentarily. Of course, slowing the speed of light is not an exception of the SRT postulates.

Recently, M. Gonzalez-Herraez, K. Song, and L. Thevanaz conducted an experiment where they were able to actively control the speed of light in an optical cable. Not only were they able to slow the light velocity, they were able to increase it well beyond the SRT-based speed limit of 299,792,458 m/s. In fact, they conclude that “slow and fast light…is very promising for a future use in real applications.”

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