Physics Question

[Zipper730]

Okay, I'm curious if the speed of light and the rate of time's passage are directly linked: The reason I ask is that, as one's velocity increases, the speed of time slows down.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Yes

 

[vikingBerserker]

Well, I think Jim has pretty much covered it so there's nothing I can contribute.

 

[pbehn]

Okay, I'm curious if the speed of light and the rate of time's passage are directly linked: The reason I ask is that, as one's velocity increases, the speed of time slows down.

Isaac Newton said he presumed time to be a constant, he had no way to prove it isn't. But it isn't.

 

[vikingBerserker]

If gravity fields can bend them, I'd think they could also slow them down.

 

[pbehn]

When Mr Mercury travelled at the speed of light he recorded a temperature of 200F, he was so unconcerned, he helped his friend break the sound barrier. He also remarked that he was unaffected by gravity, like a tiger, though he didnt confirm the species of tiger.

 

[swampyankee]

Einstein's theory of special relativity explains (general relativity is broader, but SR is enough for now)

A fellow named James Clerk Maxwell came up with a bunch of equations that modeled the behavior of electromagnetic waves. One of the results of this model (which has been thoroughly checked) was that how fast a beam of light travels is the same for all observers, regardless of their motion. The only way this can be true (and it's been quite thoroughly tested, too) is if time and distance is not the same for these observers.

Using the Hyperphysics site: (Concepts of Special Relativity)

1) Galileo had demonstrated that all motion is relative, leading to the Galileian Transform (Lorentz Transformation) which works perfectly well at low speeds
2) Because of Maxwell, the speed of light must be the same for all observers (Concepts of Special Relativity), leading to
3) the Lorentz transformation (5.5 The Lorentz Transformation - University Physics Volume 3 | OpenStax) ensures that speed of light is the same for all observers

 

[gumbyk]

The speed of light is really the speed of causality. that light travels at this speed is an effect of this.

 

[Mark Biegert]

If gravity fields can bend them, I'd think they could also slow them down.

Stronger gravity means time runs slower. We can measure the time difference between atomic clocks on Earth versus those in space. This effect is significant enough that the GPS system has to adjust for it (link). Time pretty much stops at the event horizon of a black hole (link for details).

 

[Ivan1GFP]

Einstein's theory of special relativity explains (general relativity is broader, but SR is enough for now)

A fellow named James Clerk Maxwell came up with a bunch of equations that modeled the behavior of electromagnetic waves. One of the results of this model (which has been thoroughly checked) was that how fast a beam of light travels is the same for all observers, regardless of their motion. The only way this can be true (and it's been quite thoroughly tested, too) is if time and distance is not the same for these observers.

Using the Hyperphysics site: (Concepts of Special Relativity)

1) Galileo had demonstrated that all motion is relative, leading to the Galileian Transform (Lorentz Transformation) which works perfectly well at low speeds
2) Because of Maxwell, the speed of light must be the same for all observers (Concepts of Special Relativity), leading to
3) the Lorentz transformation (5.5 The Lorentz Transformation - University Physics Volume 3 | OpenStax) ensures that speed of light is the same for all observers

Hello Swampyankee,

You beat me to it. This is how I remember it from College Physics almost 4 decades ago.
It is all consistent, but totally non-intuitive.

- Ivan.

 

[Greg Boeser]

When Mr Mercury travelled at the speed of light he recorded a temperature of 200F, he was so unconcerned, he helped his friend break the sound barrier. He also remarked that he was unaffected by gravity, like a tiger, though he didnt confirm the species of tiger.

And he did it, apparently, while completely nude!

 

[ThomasP]

accidental post . . . moving too fast . . . taking too long . . .