An instrument in which the interference of two beams of light is employed to make precise measurements. Precise means a fraction of the wavelength of light.

The phrase “interference of two beams of light” could be restated as “the combination of two beams of light”.

The Michelson interferometer The Michelson-Morley interferometer is a Michelson interferometer …

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• Descriptions of interference
  • Pedaling a Bicycle,
    • apply forces in phase, and you go nowhere if the forces are out of phase on the pedals when you go forward.
    • If you can move the chain and pedal and wheel in both directions, if you have the reverse phase the bicycle goes backwards.
  • Paddling a boat.
    • If you pull on both the panels at the same time, you go forward for a moment. When you lift the paddles from the water for another stroke, you coast.
    • The net process is going forward.
    • If you call one paddle back and push the other one forward, and then reverse with the paddles out of water, you won’t go forward it but your turn in the circle.
    • x.
    • If you pull on the paddles out of phase with each other, then you’ll turn a little bit to the right and go a little bit forward and then you’ll turn a little bit to the left and go a little bit forward.
    • If you pull on the paddles out of phase with each other then you’ll turn a little bit to the right and go a little bit forward,
    • and then you’ll turn a little bit to the left and go a little bit forward.
    • y.
    • Also, you’ll be using your arms only, not your bag. If you pull in sync when you’re using your whole body, especially your back and even legs.
• There is a similar situation for electrons in an atom and, which by the way are standing waves, and electrons moving in space which are traveling waves. The quantity of charge is fixed by Schrodinger's wave mechanics. The electrons traveling in space might not necessarily have a charge fixed by the wave, but it might actually be the other way around that the charge of the electron somehow controls the traveling wave parameters.

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