It would be nice to understand this, soo can you please help??? also if you wish to help me with why time goes by slower because of velocitie's proximity to the speed of light?
2006-09-07 07:42:08 · 5 answers · asked by feelingtherain 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
A very good book that you could read to help you understand these sort of things is written by Richard Feynman; actually he has written several books which could give you good insights: Physics: six easy pieces; Physics: six not so easy pieces.
2006-09-07 07:56:14 · answer #1 · answered by bruinfan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmm -- complex. Well, here goes...
The 'space-time continuum' is the universe -- everything that exists having the dimensions of height, length, depth and duration. (no real two or one dimensional objects exist here, only representations of them). It also includes all the forces and physical laws which influence or govern the universe.
Superstring theory requires as many as 14 dimensions for the math to work, but, while these intersect with our 4D universe, they exist for us only as an unseen framework within which this universe resides. Higher dimensions should be largely unknowable because we can only perceive 4 dimensions.
Quantum mechanics also posits the idea of parallel universes. Consider a particle traveling in a straight line. It collides with another particle. Does it go left, right, up, down, or off at some other angle (assuming the combined velocities of the two particles are not sufficient to cause fusion, in which case, both particles are partially obliterated and new particles are produced). Quantum mechanics says that ALL of these things happen. In one universe the particle goes left, in another it goes right, and so on. In any number of universes the particles don't collide at all. The universe splits (deconverges) into parallel universes allowing for all possible outcomes. Considering the number of particles in all these multiplying universes and all the possible interactions between them and with other forces, the number of parallel universes would be virtually infinite, though you couldn't tell the difference in the 'nearer' ones if you could pass between them.
The phenomenon of time dilation has to do with relative velocities. If you are traveling near the speed of light, you will observe no changes within your spaceship. But if you could oberve a clock outside the ship, it would appear to be going faster than the ship clock. For a more detailed explanation, see the links
2006-09-07 08:19:16 · answer #2 · answered by r_moulton76 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The space time continuum reflects the fact that in addition to the three dimensions of length, width and depth, there is a fourth dimension of time and the universe keeps moving (or changing) in this time dimension. Imagine the universe as a large ball. Now roll that ball. Imagine that the path the ball is rolling along is time.
Time going slower because of velocity is demonstrated in Einstein's theory of relativity. If I recall the formula, normal time slows down for an object as a function of the relationship between the speed of light and the velocity the object is traveling at according to the formula :
Relative Time = Normal Time times the Square Root of (1 minus the object velocity squared divided by the speed of light squared.)
This square root (and the normal time it is multiplied by) becomes smaller as the object's velocity becomes higher. This is true for all objects, not just those approaching the speed of light, but if a velocity is small, then the square root formula stays very close to 1 -- for example, the Relative Time of a slower moving object may be .999995 times Normal Time
2006-09-07 08:13:41 · answer #3 · answered by archer_id 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
The space-time continuum is the Einsteinian manifold of the universe. Manifold, being, a plane inside which all things in the universe exist in, must like the Cartesian plane, but much different. It bends, and curves, according to mass. Einstein theorized that gravity wasn't a manifestation of a force as Newton had predicted, but because of the curvature caused by mass on the space-time continuum.
Also is this from Wikipedia...Read the entire article to learn more.
"In physics, spacetime is a mathematical model that combines three-dimensional space and one-dimensional time into a single construct called the space-time continuum, in which time plays the role of the 4th dimension. According to Euclidean space perception, our universe has three dimensions of space, and one dimension of time. By combining space and time into a single manifold, physicists have significantly simplified a good deal of physical theory, as well as described in a more uniform way the workings of the universe at both the supergalactic and subatomic levels."
2006-09-07 10:32:26 · answer #4 · answered by trancevanbuuren 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Moving at the speed of light means that you are covering the same travel distance in a shorter time. this means its time shrinkage not time slowing down.
Travel distance is the amount of space interval between one starting point to an end point.
The travel time is tne time that it takes to move one space interval.
Velocity of light = traveled space / period of travel
It is basically all relative as follows:
You can ether travel a shorter distance for the same time ;or you can travel a longer distance for shorter time. but not both for the same instance at the speed of light.
In non relativistic language it means the higher you velocity of motion the less time it takes to travels the distance to your objective; and the shorter your objective distance gets as you move towards it.
So you have extreme time shrinking, and travel distance to objective shortening at the speed of light. This an elementary explanation that can be given in simple language about motion at Photonic light speeds..
2006-09-07 07:58:48 · answer #5 · answered by goring 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋