Chapter 16, Problem 75A

To determine

To explain:The reason of failure of Galileo’s method for measuring the speed of light.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Galileo used very simple method to calculate the velocity of light waves. He used the human response time for the light from the source which is kept at some distance away from an observer. But the light waves travel with very high speed, this method cannot be useful to find the velocity of light waves. The method he used might work for the calculation of velocity of sound waves.

The method used by Galileo to find the velocity of light waves was not accurate method. The terrestrial measurements involves small time intervals which cannot be measured by Galileo by using that method.