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The Trouton–Noble experiment attempted to detect motion of the Earth through the luminiferous aether, and was conducted in 1901–1903 by Frederick Thomas Trouton (who also developed the Trouton's ratio) and H. R. Noble. It was based on a suggestion by George FitzGerald that a charged parallel-plate capacitor moving through the aether should orient itself perpendicular to the motion. Like the earlier Michelson–Morley experiment, Trouton and Noble obtained a null result: no motion relative to the aether could be detected.^[1] ^[2]

This null result was reproduced, with increasing sensitivity, by Rudolf Tomaschek (1925, 1926), Chase (1926, 1927) and Hayden in 1994. ^[3] ^[4] ^[5] ^[6] ^[7] ^[8] Such experimental results are now seen, consistent with special relativity, to reflect the validity of the principle of relativity and the absence of any absolute rest frame (or aether). See also Tests of special relativity.

Experiment

In the experiment, a suspended parallel-plate capacitor is held by a fine torsion fiber and is charged. If the aether theory were correct, the change in Maxwell's equations due to the Earth's motion through the aether would lead to a torque causing the plates to align perpendicular to the motion. On the other hand, the assertion of special relativity that Maxwell's equations are invariant for all frames of reference moving at constant velocities would predict no torque (a null result). Thus, unless the aether were somehow fixed relative to the Earth, the experiment is a test of which of these two descriptions is more accurate.

Like any experiment measuring very small forces, the Trouton–Noble experiment is very difficult to control so as to eliminate outside influences. For example, based on standard electromagnetism and relativity, Nieves et al. predict that a very slight deflection could result from the interaction with the Earth's magnetic field and its axial rotation. However, this effect would be far smaller than that originally sought by Trouton and Noble.

Analysis

The detailed relativistic analysis of the null result requires care to correctly reconcile, for example, the effects seen by observers in different frames of reference (see e.g. Teukolsky, 1996 and Jefimenko, 1999), but ultimately all such theoretical descriptions are shown to give the same result. The early history of descriptions of this experiment is reviewed by Janssen (1995).

The Trouton–Noble experiment is essentially equivalent to the so-called "right angle lever paradox" thought experiment, first discussed by Lewis and Tolman in 1909. In both cases an apparent net torque on an object (when viewed from a certain frame of reference) does not result in any rotation of the object, and in both cases this is explained by correctly accounting, in the relativistic way, for the transformation of all the relevant forces and momenta.

References

^ F. T. Trouton and H. R. Noble, "The mechanical forces acting on a charged electric condenser moving through space," Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. A 202, 165–181 (1903).
^ F. T. Trouton and H. R. Noble, "The Forces Acting on a Charged Condenser moving through Space. Proc. Royal Soc. 74 (479): 132-133 (1903).
^ R. Tomaschek (1925). "Über Versuche zur Auffindung elektrodynamischer Wirkungen der Erdbewegung in großen Höhen I". Annalen der Physik. 78: 743–756.
^ R. Tomaschek (1926). "Über Versuche zur Auffindung elektrodynamischer Wirkungen der Erdbewegung in großen Höhen II". Annalen der Physik. 80: 509–514.
^ Carl T. Chase (1926). "A Repetition of the Trouton-Noble Ether Drift Experiment". Physical Review. 28 (2): 378–383. Bibcode:1926PhRv...28..378C. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.28.378.
^ Carl T. Chase (1927). "The Trouton–Noble Ether Drift Experiment". Physical Review. 30 (4): 516–519. Bibcode:1927PhRv...30..516C. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.30.516.
^ R. Tomaschek (1927). "Bemerkung zu meinen Versuchen zur Auffindung elektrodynamischer Wirkungen in großen Höhen". Annalen der Physik. 84: 161–162.
^ H. C. Hayden (1994). "High sensitivity Trouton–Noble experiment". Rev. Scientific Instruments. 65 (4): 788–792. Bibcode:1994RScI...65..788H. doi:10.1063/1.1144955. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

Laue, Max von (1912). "On the Theory of the Experiment of Trouton and Noble" . Annalen der Physik. 343 (7): 370–384. doi:10.1002/andp.19123430705.
Aranoff, S. (1972). "Equilibrium in special relativity". Il Nuovo Cimento B. 10 (1): 155–171. doi:10.1007/BF02911417.
Michel Janssen, "A comparison between Lorentz's ether theory and special relativity in the light of the experiments of Trouton and Noble, Ph.D. thesis (1995). Online: TOC, pref., intro-I, 1, 2, intro-II, 3, 4, refs.
Teukolsky, Saul A. (1996). "The explanation of the Trouton-Noble experiment revisited". American Journal of Physics. 64 (9): 1104–1109. doi:10.1119/1.18329.
Jefimenko, Oleg D. (1999). "The Trouton-Noble paradox". Journal of Physics A. 32 (20): 3755–3762. doi:10.1088/0305-4470/32/20/308.
Franklin, Jerrold (2006). "The lack of rotation in the Trouton Noble experiment". European Journal of Physics. 27 (5): 1251–1256. arXiv:physics/0603110. doi:10.1088/0143-0807/27/5/024.

External links

Kevin Brown, "Trouton-Noble and The Right-Angle Lever at MathPages.
Michel Janssen, "The Trouton Experiment and E = mc²," Einstein for Everyone course at UMN (2002).

[1] F. T. Trouton and H. R. Noble, "The mechanical forces acting on a charged electric condenser moving through space," Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. A 202, 165–181 (1903).

[2] F. T. Trouton and H. R. Noble, "The Forces Acting on a Charged Condenser moving through Space. Proc. Royal Soc. 74 (479): 132-133 (1903).

[3] R. Tomaschek (1925). "Über Versuche zur Auffindung elektrodynamischer Wirkungen der Erdbewegung in großen Höhen I". Annalen der Physik. 78: 743–756.

[4] R. Tomaschek (1926). "Über Versuche zur Auffindung elektrodynamischer Wirkungen der Erdbewegung in großen Höhen II". Annalen der Physik. 80: 509–514.

[5] Carl T. Chase (1926). "A Repetition of the Trouton-Noble Ether Drift Experiment". Physical Review. 28 (2): 378–383. Bibcode:1926PhRv...28..378C. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.28.378.

[6] Carl T. Chase (1927). "The Trouton–Noble Ether Drift Experiment". Physical Review. 30 (4): 516–519. Bibcode:1927PhRv...30..516C. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.30.516.

[7] R. Tomaschek (1927). "Bemerkung zu meinen Versuchen zur Auffindung elektrodynamischer Wirkungen in großen Höhen". Annalen der Physik. 84: 161–162.

[8] H. C. Hayden (1994). "High sensitivity Trouton–Noble experiment". Rev. Scientific Instruments. 65 (4): 788–792. Bibcode:1994RScI...65..788H. doi:10.1063/1.1144955. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

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 ==References==
 <references />
+*{{cite journal|author=Laue, Max von|title=[[s:On the Theory of the Experiment of Trouton and Noble|On the Theory of the Experiment of Trouton and Noble]]|journal=Annalen der Physik|volume=343|issue=7|doi=10.1002/andp.19123430705|year=1912|pages=370-384}}
+*{{cite journal|author=Aranoff, S.|title=Equilibrium in special relativity|journal=Il Nuovo Cimento B|volume=10|issue=1|doi=10.1007/BF02911417|year=1972|pages=155-171}}
 * Michel Janssen, "A comparison between Lorentz's ether theory and special relativity in the light of the experiments of Trouton and Noble, Ph.D. thesis (1995). Online: [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/TitleTOC.pdf TOC], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/intro.pdf pref.], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/introI.pdf intro-I], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/Chapter1.pdf 1], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/Chapter2.pdf 2], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/introII.pdf intro-II], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/Chapter3.pdf 3], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/Chapter4.pdf 4], [http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/litserv/diss/janssen_diss/References.pdf refs].
+*{{cite journal|author=Teukolsky, Saul A.|title=The explanation of the Trouton-Noble experiment revisited|journal=American Journal of Physics|volume=64|issue=9|doi=10.1119/1.18329|year=1996|pages=1104-1109}}
-* Michel Janssen, "[http://www.tc.umn.edu/~janss011/pdf%20files/troutonshort.pdf The Trouton Experiment and ''E'' = ''mc''<sup>2</sup>]," ''Einstein for Everyone'' course at [[University of Minnesota|UMN]] (2002).
+*{{cite journal|author=Jefimenko, Oleg D.|title=The Trouton-Noble paradox|journal=Journal of Physics A|volume=32|issue=20|doi=10.1088/0305-4470/32/20/308|year=1999|pages=3755-3762}}
+*{{cite journal|author=Franklin, Jerrold|title=The lack of rotation in the Trouton Noble experiment|journal=European Journal of Physics|volume=27|issue=5|doi=10.1088/0143-0807/27/5/024|year=2006|pages=1251-1256|arxiv=physics/0603110}}
+==External links==
 * Kevin Brown, "[http://www.mathpages.com/home/kmath651/kmath651.htm Trouton-Noble and The Right-Angle Lever] at MathPages.
+* Michel Janssen, "[http://www.tc.umn.edu/~janss011/pdf%20files/troutonshort.pdf The Trouton Experiment and ''E'' = ''mc''<sup>2</sup>]," ''Einstein for Everyone'' course at [[University of Minnesota|UMN]] (2002).
-* J. Franklin, "The absence of 'torque' in the Trouton–Noble experiment", Eur. J. Phys. 27 (2006) 1251-1256, {{arxiv|physics/0603110}}
-* Saul A. Teukolsky, "The explanation of the Trouton–Noble experiment revisited," ''Am. J. Physics'' '''64''' (9), 1104&ndash;1109 (1996).
-* Oleg D. Jefimenko, "The Trouton–Noble paradox," ''J. Phys. A.'' '''32''', 3755&ndash;3762 (1999).
-* L. Nieves, M. Rodriguez, G. Spavieri, and E. Tonni, "An experiment of the Trouton-Noble type as a test of the differential form of Faraday's law," ''Il Nuovo Cimento'' '''116''' B (5), 585&ndash;592 (2001).
 [[Category:Aether theories]]

v t e Tests of special relativity
Speed/isotropy	Michelson–Morley experiment Kennedy–Thorndike experiment Moessbauer rotor experiments Resonator experiments de Sitter double star experiment Hammar experiment Measurements of neutrino speed
Lorentz invariance	Modern searches for Lorentz violation Hughes–Drever experiment Trouton–Noble experiment Experiments of Rayleigh and Brace Trouton–Rankine experiment Antimatter tests of Lorentz violation Lorentz-violating neutrino oscillations Lorentz-violating electrodynamics
Time dilation Length contraction	Ives–Stilwell experiment Moessbauer rotor experiments Experimental testing of time dilation Hafele–Keating experiment Length contraction confirmations
Relativistic energy	Tests of relativistic energy and momentum Kaufmann–Bucherer–Neumann experiments
Fizeau/Sagnac	Fizeau experiment Sagnac experiment Michelson–Gale–Pearson experiment
Alternatives	Refutations of aether theory Refutations of emission theory
General	One-way speed of light Test theories of special relativity Standard-Model Extension