Editing Edward W. Morley (section)

==Research==

===Optics and astronomy===
Morley's most-significant work came in the field of [[physics]] and [[optics]]. In this, he collaborated with and assisted the [[physicist]] [[Albert A. Michelson]] for several years around 1887. They set up, executed, and improved their techniques many times in what we call the [[Michelson–Morley experiment]]. This involved making more and more accurate measurements of the [[speed of light]] in various directions, and at different times of the year, as the Earth revolved in its orbit around the Sun. These careful measurements were created to measure the differences in the speed of light in different directions. Michelson and Morley always found that the speed of light did not vary at all depending on the direction of measurement, or the position of the Earth in its orbit, deducing what we call a "[[null result]]" for their speed-of-light experiments.<ref name=ANB>{{Cite ANB |title=Morley, Edward Williams |id=1301177 |first=Michael M. |last=Sokal}}</ref>

Neither he nor Michelson ever considered that these null results disproved the hypothesis of the existence of "[[luminiferous aether]]", in which [[electromagnetic wave]]s were thought to be propagated. Their null results led the Irish physicist [[George Francis FitzGerald]] to postulate what we now call the [[FitzGerald–Lorentz contraction]] of physical objects in the direction of their movement in inertial frames of reference.

However, other scientists did come to the conclusion that the [[luminiferous aether|aether]] did not exist. The results of the Michelson–Morley experiments supported [[Albert Einstein]]'s strong [[postulate]] in 1905 that the speed of light is a constant in all [[inertial frames of reference]] for his [[Special Theory of Relativity]].<ref name=ANB/>

Morley also collaborated with [[Dayton Miller]] on positive aether experiments after his work with Michelson.<ref name=ANB/> Morley himself made measurements of the [[speed of light]] when it passes through a strong [[magnetic field]]. He also studied the [[thermal expansion]] of solid materials.

===Chemistry===
At Western Reserve College, Morley was required to teach, not only chemistry, but also geology and botany, leaving him little time for research. Nevertheless, he found time during the first ten years at Hudson to publish five articles, mostly on the accuracy of measurements.<ref name=r1/>

In chemistry, his original field, Morley had worked on determining accurate values for the [[chemical composition|composition]] of the [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]] and the weights of its gases. His work on the atomic weight of oxygen covered a period of eleven years. Much time was spent in the calibration of instruments and improving the measurement accuracy to the highest possible degree (ca. 1 part per 10,000).<ref name=r1/> In 1895 he introduced a new value for the atomic weight ratio of oxygen to hydrogen, providing the most precise determination of the atomic weight of oxygen at the time. His research on the atomic weight of oxygen was recognized as a [[National Historic Chemical Landmarks|National Historic Chemical Landmark]] by the [[American Chemical Society]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/atomicweightofoxygen/index.htm |title=Edward W. Morley and the Atomic Weight of Oxygen |access-date=2012-04-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720141308/http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/atomicweightofoxygen/index.htm |archive-date=2012-07-20 }}</ref>