  A small tabletop experiment for a direct measurement of the speed of light to
an accuracy of few percent is described. The experiment is accessible to a wide
spectrum of undergraduate students, in particular to students not majoring in
science or engineering. The experiment may further include a measurement of the
index of refraction of a sample. Details of the setup and equipment are given.
Results and limitations of the experiment are analyzed, partly based on our
experience in employing the experiment in our student laboratories. Safety
considerations are also discussed.
