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arXiv · 1605.05218

An undergraduate laboratory experiment on measuring the velocity of light with a catastrophic machine

T. M. Mishonov·A. M. Varonov·D. D. Maskimovski·S. G. Manolev·V. N. Gourev·V. G. Yordanov
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Abstract

An experimental setup for electrostatic measurement of $\varepsilon_0$, separated magneto-static measurement of $\mu_0$ and determination of the velocity of light $c=1/\sqrt{\varepsilon_0 \mu_0}$ according to Maxwell theory with percent accuracy is described. No forces are measured with the experimental setup therefore there is no need of a scale and the experiment price less than \pounds20 is mainly due to the batteries used. Multiplied 137~times, this experimental setup was given at the fourth open international Experimental Physics Olympiad (EPO4) and a dozen high school students did very well. This article, however, focuses on the catastrophe theory, which is the basis of the methodology.

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T. M. Mishonov, A. M. Varonov, D. D. Maskimovski, S. G. Manolev, V. N. Gourev, V. G. Yordanov. 2016-05-17. An undergraduate laboratory experiment on measuring the velocity of light with a catastrophic machine. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404%2F38%2F2%2F025203

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