theory of relativity question revised?

Question

Ok I understand that light moves in basically a wave form threw space, and it is effected by gravity in a similar manner then other things. From what I understand is that Einstein therorized that as we get closer to the speed of light time slows down. What I don't understand is why going fast would make time slow down. And if time does slow down how fast does it decelerate. And if you can measure how fast time is moving, what do you measure it in seconds per minute or what? I just don't understand what makes einstein think that.

Answer 1

You have stated that What I don't understand is why going fast would make time slow down.

The reason for not understanding this is you have not paid more attention to the fact that the speed of light is independent of the moving observers.

Unless one pays more attention to the above statement it is always hard to understand that time is affected by moving observers.

To measure the speed of light we take some reference length and find the time for the light to cross that length.

First suppose that we are at rest and we measure the light’s speed.

It will take 3.3 nano second to cross one meter length.

Next, I take that meter scale and the clock along with me and travel with a speed say 0.8 C first toward abeam of light and then away from a beam of light, while you are and not accompanying me and you are at rest.

In both cases I will measure, using the above meter scale and clock that the speed of light is C. That is I will observe that the light takes 3.3 nano second in my clock to cross one meter length.

But you, who are at rest, are seeing that I am going with a speed of 0.8 c in one case toward the beam of light and in another case away from the beam of light.

According to you I must be wrong to say that light takes the same time of 3.3 nano second to cross one meter length and that will be correct only if I too were at rest.

But you know that I am moving with a speed 0.8C. Then how is it possible that I measure the speed as C?

Speed of light is a constant for both you and me.

Speed of light is Distance / time is a constant.

Therefore you conclude that the meter scale that I have taken with me has shortened to 60 cm and the time of one second moves slowly; that is when it is one second for you, for me it is only 0.6 second.

As both distance and time has shortened to the same ratio, you conclude that I have measured speed of light by noting the time to cross (ONE METER FOR ME) 0.6 m for you as (3.3 NANO SECOND FOR ME) 0.6 x 3.3 nano second for you.


I am measuring the speed as (1 meter / 3.3 nano second).

But you say that I have measured the speed as 0.6 meter / 0.6x 3 nano second.

Both measure the speed as C.

Answer 2

Everything in physics must be viewed in a particular frame of reference. What you see will change relative (hence the "relativity" bit) to what reference you are viewing from.

Imagine you're driving a car at 50 km/h when you see another car traveling at 100 km/h. To a bystander on the side of the road you are traveling at 50 and 100 respectively, but to you, the other car is traveling at 50 km/h. Therefore how fast you view things depends on how fast you yourself are traveling. That's the relativity bit.

Now here's what started it all. Scientists once thought that the same thing would happen with light. The faster you were moving, the slower light would seem to travel. They tested this theory extensively and came to one conclusion: that the speed of light when viewed from any reference will remain constant (I won't explain their experiments, trust me on this). So if that's true, it doesn't matter if you're going 50 km/h or 90% the speed of light, light will still move away from you at 3 x10^8 m/s. But how?

If you are traveling at 0.5c (50% the speed of light) and you accelerate to 0.9c, the light is still going the same speed away from you. Did it speed up? Of course not. So what happened? Your perception of reality changed. In order for it to seem to be going at the same speed, your idea of speed must be different. Since speed is defined as distance over time, either your perception of distance has gotten much shorter, or your perception of time has drastically lengthened. Both are, in fact, true.

And that's the extremely condensed, simplified form.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

If it were easy to understand everyone would have a degree in physics. Look up Time dilation, Lorentz transformations, inertial frames of reference, and (and this is a serious suggestion, no offense intended) try reading Einstein for Dummies... If you don't like math, this is your best bet for some real understanding of special relativity. If you can handle the math, there is an excellent textbook called Modern Physics by Paul Tippler that helped me get my brain around it... too bad it didn't do the same for quantum mechanics.

Answer 4

This is one of the subtler and more confusing aspects of the theory. Nevertheless, it is true and has been demonstrated (I won't get into how). It is important when thinking about this to keep carefully in mind which reference frame you are using for measurement. Suppose there is a spacecraft in your vicinity, traveling (with respect to your reference frame) at 90% of the speed of light. The spacecraft has a clock, as do you. Each of you observes the other's clock in order to try to get an agreement on the current time. The space jockey thinks that his clock is keeping perfect time, but when he looks twice at yours, a few seconds apart, he concludes that your clock is running at only half speed, so no agreement can be had on the current time. You, looking twice at his clock, a few seconds apart, think that his clock is running at only half speed. Of course, your clock is also keeping perfect time. And, if you think that this is confusing, wait until you get to general relativity. I'm still mystified by that.

Answer 5

"I just don't understand what makes einstein think that."


well lorenech equation

lorenech didnt find what its mean but einstein did....

"What I don't understand is why going fast would make time slow down."

no-one knows that ... as i know...

but i have theory that i think of why going fast would make time slow down


Light is the time....why i think that .. cuz any speed u will drive light will "hit" u @ C speed

that mean we waiting for our turn to move everytime that light is "hiting" us we could move

if we have drive in great speed we getting less hiting by the light

that make us slowtime in high speed


hope that helping
remember that is theory its will help u to understand mayb' but dont put in ur tests hehe :)

Answer 6

Einstein uncovered relativity. Things are relative to one another. The phenomena of time as we perceive it will slow down as we approach the speed of light because we catching up to it. It is our relationship to time that causes the change. In addtion to time slowing, your mass would increase, and your length would decrease as you approach the speed of light. At light speed, your mass would be infinite. Your length nil.

You will be interested to see that when you die, you are no longer bound by physical laws like those of gravity, or time and space relativity. Time will not exist to you. Neither will space and distance. There will be no difference at all, between a millisecond or 87.3 billion years. You will not perceive a difference between in inch, or 1 million light years. You will travel both distances instantaneously. You will observe all of time as a whole, and it is called eternity.

Einstein said, "Time and space are modes in which we think, and not condtions in which we live."

We observe time part by part. It is similar to watching each part of a parade pass by, as you stand on the corner. But after you leave this world, you will observe time as if you were in a helicopter, hovering over the parade. You will see it all from beginning to end. Time stands still because you are in your natrual state as a light being. The Christian bible says, "God is light..." . It also says you were created in his image. You left that light-state of your being temporarly to come here and live as a limited human being for a "short time". You promised to temporarily forget your omniscient knowledge in order to play your role. It is part of life's game. As Shakespere said, "All the world is a stage".

Answer 7

Einstein is trying to tell you that the speed of light is a constant. AND that time is NOT a constant. And neither is mass or length! Think about THAT!