Objective: Determine the velocity of light from the transit time of short light pulses
The fact that light is propagated at a finite speed can be demonstrated by a simple transit time measurement. This is achieved by using very short light pulses of only a few nanoseconds duration and determining the time for them to travel out and back over a distance of several metres, which is measured by an oscilloscope. From the transit time and the distance from the transmitter to a triple-prism reflector one can calculate the velocity of light.
![Experiment: Determination of the Velocity of Light (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 8000695 [UE4060100-230], Velocity of light](/imagelibrary/UE4060100-230/UE4060100-230_01_Experiment-Determination-of-the-Velocity-of-Light-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Experiment: Determination of the Velocity of Light (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 8000695 [UE4060100-230], Velocity of light](/thumblibrary/UE4060100-230/UE4060100-230_01_1200_1200_Experiment-Determination-of-the-Velocity-of-Light-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Pocket Measuring Tape, 2 m, 1002603 [U10073], Measurement of Length](/thumblibrary/U10073/U10073_01_140_140_Pocket-Measuring-Tape-2-m.jpg)
![Universal Clamp, 1002830 [U13255], Clamps](/thumblibrary/U13255/U13255_01_140_140_Universal-Clamp.jpg)
![Stainless Steel Rod 1500 mm, 1002937 [U15005], Rods](/thumblibrary/U15005/U15005_01_140_140_Stainless-Steel-Rod-1500-mm.jpg)
![Speed of Light Meter (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1000882 [U8476460-230], Speed of Light](/thumblibrary/U8476460-230/U8476460-230_01_140_140_Speed-of-Light-Meter-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Barrel Foot, 900 g, 1001045 [U8611200], Tripods and Barrel Feet](/thumblibrary/U8611200/U8611200_01_140_140_Barrel-Foot-900-g.jpg)
![Digital Oscilloscope 2x100 MHz, 1020911 [U11835], Oscilloscopes](/thumblibrary/U11835/U11835_01_140_140_Digital-Oscilloscope-2x100-MHz.jpg)
![HF Patch Cord, 1m, 1002746 [U11255], Experiment Leads and Cables](/thumblibrary/U11255/U11255_01_140_140_HF-Patch-Cord-1m.jpg)
![Digital Multimeter P3340, 1002785 [U118091], Hand-held Digital Measuring Instruments](/thumblibrary/U118091/U118091_01_140_140_Digital-Multimeter-P3340.jpg)
![Digital Oscilloscope, 2x30 MHz, 1020910 [U11834], Oscilloscopes](/thumblibrary/U11834/U11834_01_140_140_Digital-Oscilloscope-2x30-MHz.jpg)
![Set of 15 Safety Experiment Leads, 75 cm, 2.5 mm², 1002843 [U138021], Circuits](/thumblibrary/U138021/U138021_01_140_140_Set-of-15-Safety-Experiment-Leads-75-cm-25-mm.jpg)
![DC Power Supply 20 V, 5 A
(230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1003312 [U33020-230], Power Supplies](/thumblibrary/U33020-230/U33020-230_01_140_140_DC-Power-Supply-20-V-5-A-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Franck-Hertz Experiment Neon Tube Heater, 1000912 [U8482230], Electron Tubes D](/thumblibrary/U8482230/U8482230_01_140_140_Franck-Hertz-Experiment-Neon-Tube-Heater.jpg)
![Premium Franck-Hertz Experiment Power Supply
(230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1012819 [U8482530-230], Electron Tubes D](/thumblibrary/U8482530-230/U8482530-230_01_140_140_Premium-Franck-Hertz-Experiment-Power-Supply-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Planck’s Constant Apparatus (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1000537 [U10700-230], Fundamentals of Atomic Physics](/thumblibrary/U10700-230/U10700-230_01_140_140_Planck-s-Constant-Apparatus-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Transformer with Rectifier 3/6/9/12 V, 3 A (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1003316 [U33300-230], Power Supplies](/thumblibrary/U33300-230/U33300-230_01_140_140_Transformer-with-Rectifier-36912-V-3-A-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Basic Hall Effect Apparatus, 1009934 [U8487000], Hall-effect](/thumblibrary/U8487000/U8487000_01_140_140_Basic-Hall-Effect-Apparatus.jpg)
![N-Doped Germanium on Printed Circuit Board, 1009760 [U8487030], Hall-effect](/thumblibrary/U8487030/U8487030_01_140_140_N-Doped-Germanium-on-Printed-Circuit-Board.jpg)
![Experiment: Dielectrics in plate capacitors (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 8000786 [UE3010850-230], Electrostatics](/thumblibrary/UE3010850-230/UE3010850-230_01_140_140_Experiment-Dielectrics-in-plate-capacitors-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)