In an experiment designed to measure the speed of light, a laser is aimed at a m

Question

In an experiment designed to measure the speed of light, a laser is aimed at a mirror that is 48.0 km due north. A detector is placed 119 m due east of the laser. The mirror is to be aligned so that light from the laser reflects into the detector. (a) When properly aligned, what angle should the normal to the surface of the mirror make with due south? (b) Suppose the mirror is misaligned, so that the actual angle between the normal to the surface and due south is too large by 0.00500. By how many meters (due east) will the reflected ray miss the detector? (a) Number Units (b) Number Units

Explanation / Answer

tan theta = 119 m / 48000 m = 0.002479

The angle made by the normal to the surface of the mirror with due south

theta = 0.142

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