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• Principle of the interferometer
• Words to Know
• Variations on the Michelson interferometer

Interferometry is the process of making measurements by allowing sound, light, or other kinds of waves to interfere with each other. Interferometry is used for a large variety of purposes, such as studying the velocity of sound in a fluid, locating the position and properties of objects in space, determining the size and properties of objects without actually touching or otherwise disturbing them, and visualizing processes such as crystal growth, combustion (burning), diffusion (spreading), and shock wave motion.

Principle of the interferometer

The interferometer was invented by German American physicist Albert A. Michelson (1852–1931) around...