Objective: Demonstrate and investigate how a Michelson interferometer works
In a Michelson interferometer a coherent light beam is separated into two rays travelling in different directions by inserting a half-silvered mirror in the path. The separated beams are reflected back along themselves and then recombined. The viewing screen then exhibits an interference pattern that changes perceptibly when the optical path lengths for each of the split beams are changed by fractions of the wavelength of light.
![Experiment: Michelson-Interferometer, 8000684 [UE4030410], Wave optics](/imagelibrary/UE4030410/UE4030410_01_Experiment-Michelson-Interferometer.jpg)
![Experiment: Michelson-Interferometer, 8000684 [UE4030410], Wave optics](/thumblibrary/UE4030410/UE4030410_01_1200_1200_Experiment-Michelson-Interferometer.jpg)
![Tubing, Silicone 6 mm, 1002622 [U10146], Hose, Flow hose](/thumblibrary/U10146/U10146_01_140_140_Tubing-Silicone-6-mm.jpg)
![Interferometer, 1002651 [U10350], Interferometer](/thumblibrary/U10350/U10350_01_140_140_Interferometer.jpg)
![Supplement: Interferometer, 1002652 [U10351], Interferometer](/thumblibrary/U10351/U10351_01_140_140_Supplement-Interferometer.jpg)
![High-Quality Vacuum Hand Pump, 1012856 [U205001], Vacuum Pumps](/thumblibrary/U205001/U205001_01_140_140_High-Quality-Vacuum-Hand-Pump.jpg)
![Helium-Neon Laser, 1003165 [U21840], Optical Lamps on Stem](/thumblibrary/U21840/U21840_01_140_140_Helium-Neon-Laser.jpg)
![Optical Precision Bench D, 1000 mm, 1002628 [U10300], Optics with an Optical Bench](/thumblibrary/U10300/U10300_01_140_140_Optical-Precision-Bench-D-1000-mm.jpg)
![Convex Lens on Stem f =+100 mm, 1003023 [U17102], Optical Components on Stem](/thumblibrary/U17102/U17102_01_140_140_Convex-Lens-on-Stem-f-100-mm.jpg)
![Millikan’s Apparatus (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1018884 [U207001-230], Millikan’s Experiment](/thumblibrary/U207001-230/U207001-230_01_140_140_Millikan-s-Apparatus-230-V-5060-Hz.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)
![Experiment: Millikan’s Experiment (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 8000774 [UE5010400-230], Fundamentals of Atomic Physics](/thumblibrary/UE5010400-230/UE5010400-230_01_140_140_Experiment-Millikan-s-Experiment-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Support for Optical Bench D, Set, 1012399 [U103041], Optics with an Optical Bench](/thumblibrary/U103041/U103041_01_140_140_Support-for-Optical-Bench-D-Set.jpg)
![Optical Base D, 1009733 [U10319], Optics with an Optical Bench](/thumblibrary/U10319/U10319_01_140_140_Optical-Base-D.jpg)
![DC Power Supply, 32 V, 20 A (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1012857 [U11827-230], Power Supplies](/thumblibrary/U11827-230/U11827-230_01_140_140_DC-Power-Supply-32-V-20-A-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Magnetic Stirrer with Heater (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 1002807 [U11875-230], Magnetic Stirrers](/thumblibrary/U11875-230/U11875-230_01_140_140_Magnetic-Stirrer-with-Heater-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Barrel Foot, 1 kg, 1002834 [U13265], Bases](/thumblibrary/U13265/U13265_01_140_140_Barrel-Foot-1-kg.jpg)
![Teslameter E, 1008537 [U8533982], Magnetic Fields](/thumblibrary/U8533982/U8533982_01_140_140_Teslameter-E.jpg)
![Set of 3 Thermocouples, 1017904 [U8557370], Experiment Leads and Cables](/thumblibrary/U8557370/U8557370_01_140_140_Set-of-3-Thermocouples.jpg)
![Equipment Kit “Hysteresis Curve”, 1018889 [U8557500], Magnetism](/thumblibrary/U8557500/U8557500_01_140_140_Equipment-Kit-Hysteresis-Curve.jpg)
![Electromagnet Accessory for Zeeman Effect, 1021365 [U8557770], Fundamentals of Atomic Physics](/thumblibrary/U8557770/U8557770_01_140_140_Electromagnet-Accessory-for-Zeeman-Effect.jpg)
![Experiment: Seebeck effect (230 V, 50/60 Hz), 8000731 [UE6020500-230], Conduction Phenomena](/thumblibrary/UE6020500-230/UE6020500-230_01_140_140_Experiment-Seebeck-effect-230-V-5060-Hz.jpg)