Is time linear? If that is so, is every moment a start or a continuation of space or relative to a point ?

Question

If time is a measure of a constant element, do we really have a starting point for history and space? Does our physical world relates to it as a whole or basically as a byproduct of time?

Answer 1

Hi nitropr45

The physical theory which gives us the best view of time is relativity. Relativity treats time as a dimension much the same as (and in fact linked to) the three familiar spatial dimensions. These dimensions are linked together in a manifold called "space-time". The movements of objects through space and time are then traced by a curve called their "worldline".

Some definitions:
* a point in 4D space-time is called an "event". An event is specified by four coordinates, 1 in time and three in space, eg: [x,y,z,t]
* the difference between two events is called an interval. You can have space intervals, time intervals and space-time intervals.

First key concept to get across the nature of time from a relativistic perspective is that time is relative. This means that the location of events in space-time is *arbitrary* by itself, only relative locations are important, which means that time intervals are more definable than time coordinates. Second key concept is that observers in different states of motion or frames of reference will not necessarily agree on time intervals. This has two dramatic consequences:
i) time dilation
ii) relative simultaneity

Time dilation means that observers will measure moving clocks to "run slow", and clocks in gravitational wells to "run slow", and clocks at long cosmological separation to "run slow". relative simultaneity means that observers will not agree about whether things happen at the same time or not.

Does this all mean that time is not linear? To a mathematician or physicist, no it doesn't. Time is not absolute, time is not fixed, but it's still one dimensional and so (mostly) linear. How do we have a start point for time? We extrapolate backwards along the expansion of the universe until we reach a start point. Note that that's a start point relative to now, not an absolute start point. Is every moment relative to a point? In a way - all time moments are relative, but they're not all relative to one fixed important point.

Note that there are some speculative multidimensional theories in which time is not linear. For example there are 10+2 dimensional theories which have two time dimensions, and consequently non-linear time. At the moment there isn't any supporting evidence for this kind of approach.


Hope this helps!
The Chicken

Answer 2

You are off into a world of theory here. Supposedly, there are places in our universe where time is NOT linear, such as black holes to name just one. What you have to remember is that time is an invention by man, not necessarily anything or anyone else. It is in our nature to quantify everything, and time is just another example. Another point is that relativity rears its head on the issue of time. Example: someone traveling through space at speeds approaching light have an entirely different aspect of time to deal with. Interesting subject.

Answer 3

hmmm... I think people are too obsessed with time. We make all these ways to measure and and categorize it (weeks repeat them selves sun-sat) but really, I think there's not really a direction to time. I don't think there is a path or any such thing that we could go back on, or fast forward on. For example, we can go to a place where something happened a long time ago, and it's still there and things can still happen there... a good question

Answer 4

Time is not a line, but a different dimension through which we all travel. We may travel through it faster or slower depending on our acceleration. The space is infinite and so is this dimension. The subject is under serious study and I too am very interested in the subject. So please inform me anything new that comes under your consideration. I am [e-mail].

Answer 5

God has been sort to enable me stay right this moment.day after today could on no account come.So I must be chuffed approximately right this moment.And when I awaken on the morrow,the marvel of being alive is extremely friendly. Have a spectacular day.

Answer 6

Yes. Yes. That's why every day is a new beginning.