The first American to win a Nobel Prize was ______ for measuring the speed of light.

The first American to win a Nobel Prize was Albert Michelson, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1907 for his precise measurements of the speed of light. He contributed significantly to the field of metrology and established the value of the speed of light with remarkable accuracy through his work on optical instruments and interferometry. Michelson's experiments were pivotal in advancing the understanding of light and its properties, making his contributions essential in the context of physics. His recognition as the first American Nobel laureate highlights the importance of his work and the impact it had on not only American science but also the global scientific community.