Significance
In 1851, Fizeau used an entirely different form of interferometer to measure the effect of movement of a medium upon the speed of light, as seen in Fig. 3.
According to the theories prevailing at the time, light traveling through a moving medium would be dragged along by the medium, so the measured speed of the light would be a simple sum of its speed through the medium plus the speed of the medium.
Fizeau indeed detected a dragging effect, but the magnitude of the effect that he observed was far lower than expected. His results seemingly supported the partial ether-drag hypothesis of Fresnel, a situation that was disconcerting to most physicists.
Over half a century passed before a satisfactory explanation of Fizeau's unexpected measurement was developed with the advent of Einstein's theory of special relativity.
Read more about this topic: Fizeau Interferometer, Fizeau's Ether-drag Experiment
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