And how does it behave in spatial relativity?
2007-01-23 19:11:50 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Yes, in special relativity, time is the "fourth dimension". Moreover, mathematically speaking, time is no longer distinct from space, but rather it's part of spacetime just as space is. A moving object's length is contracted, or shorter, relative to us, but the moving object's time is dilated, or slower, relative to us. The equations of special relativity is nothing more than a (hyperbolic) rotation matrx which transforms coordinates from one moving frame to another. This mathematically wouldn't be possible unless time is put on the same footing as space. And one final description about time on a moving train relative to us. Not only the train would be shorter relative to us, and it's clocks going slower relative to us, but clocks along the length of the time aren't even showing the same time! The clocks at the rear of the train would be ahead of the clocks at the front, with the rest of the clocks showing times inbetween. The bizzare thing is that occupants of the moving train will see EXACTLY the same thing in our own train which we think is at rest.
2007-01-23 19:35:14 · answer #1 · answered by Scythian1950 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yep. Generally, there's 3d of spatial dimentions, and a fourth of time. And it's not spatial in the least, but it allows movement and change in the other three.
Time and Space, the four dimensions, were created during the big bang, and if I was there, I was not assembled in a complicated enough state to know what the heck was going on, so I'll leave it at that. Have fun and don't hurt your brain.
2007-01-24 03:24:16 · answer #2 · answered by Boomer Wisdom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can think of time as the fourth dimension if it helps you, but there's no reason that we can't consider 4 (or more) spatial dimensions or even multiple temporal dimensions, so calling it the "fourth dimension" seems a bit arbitrary.
As for "special relativity", as your velocity increases, time dialates (slows down) and space contracts (Lorentz contraction) along the vector of your motion. I could pull some equations out of my physics book, but I'm too lazy, and besides, you should be able to google "special relativity" - Just remember to spell it right :-)
2007-01-24 03:30:38 · answer #3 · answered by Andrew 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When considering time travel, scientist say that exceeding the speed of light will generally place you at some location in the future. The problem is "Where?" Given all the values for the other three variables, (x,y, and z), and considering that these variables change with time, the only other possible factor to determine a specific point is where x, y, and z meet at a specific time, the fourth dimension.
2007-01-24 04:06:14 · answer #4 · answered by nightracker303 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time is the fourth dimension, and as far as how it behaves, I guess you can say it moves in the direction of increased entropy (disorder), from the present to the future (example: an egg can break, but it can't unbreak).
2007-01-24 03:14:42 · answer #5 · answered by Mickey Mouse Spears 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time is often described as the fourth dimension. But as string theory predicts up to 16 dimensions all at right angles to another, it could be that time is really the 15th 12th or 1st dimension and we have merely labelled it incorrectly.
For all we know, there may be 32 'ordinarily' dimensions, and Time is really the 33rd dimension.
2007-01-24 03:23:47 · answer #6 · answered by whatotherway 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. It's the 'fourth' dimension.
It means that you can have a future, live in the present, and remember the past.
2007-01-24 03:16:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hell if I know, but you're the doppest AND the deepest Ethopian of all time.
2007-01-24 03:15:43 · answer #8 · answered by Docta Jones 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋