Explain the relationship between Einstein's Theory of Relativity & how astronauts age once they return to Earth after orbiting in space.
2007-02-12 05:52:30 · 10 answers · asked by Bree 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Once the astronaut has RETURNED from space he ages the same way as before he left.
(Actually, he is always aging the same way, but his time frame and everyone else's is not the same, so there will be an apparent difference once he gets back, but once he's going the same speed as the rest of us again he's aging at the same rate to our observations.)
2007-02-12 05:57:54 · answer #1 · answered by LabGrrl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A very simplistic response is that, according the Theory of Relativity, time decelerates as mass increases (and vice versa). Therefore, time slows down as you are near a massive object and speeds up as you distance yourself from massive objects (relative to the observer).
As far as the astronaut question, this has been measured with atomic clocks. Two atomic clocks were synchronized and one of them was taken into space. Upon returning to Earth, the two clocks were compared and sure enough - the clock in space showed that more time had passed. However, the difference is observed in very small fractions of a second. A vehicle orbiting the Earth would gain an extra second every 10,000 years or so.
So to answer your question - astronauts are technically older than a person who was born at the same date/time as themself. Again it's worth noting that we're talking about a very small fractions of a second.
Here's a good info link:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/08apr_atomicclock.htm
2007-02-12 06:25:24 · answer #2 · answered by Mr Brando 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Aging process is a human body system degradation. Aging takes place the same way no matter what location one exists.
As far as Einstein Time dilation formula it only relates to oscilliatory motion of light particles; where wave length can be shorten and time lenghtened. It has very little to do with aging at all.
The twin paradox of relativety is what it is ;something that appears real but it is not.
If astronauts were to travel in space in our solar system for a long time they would age faster because they are absorbing more radiation than on earth which is protected by the Van halen belt.
2007-02-13 08:18:29 · answer #3 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time Travel
2016-05-24 01:20:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
in theory the closer you come to the speed of light the less timehas an effect on you but the astronauts orbit speed in not signifigently any more than earths speed of about 50000 miles per second through space no change in time is detectable light speed is more like 286,000,000 miles per second any aging of astronaughts before during and after there mission would be biological or stress related and not have anything to do with time differentials.
2007-02-12 06:13:59 · answer #5 · answered by Tony N 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We all age. Astronauts are no different whether they're in space or on earth. They don't age any moire than we do except in space where thy move with respect to us. They are probably a billionth of a second younger than us if they spend a few months in orbit.
2007-02-12 06:01:04 · answer #6 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed of light travels at the same speed relative to you no matter how fast you are going. In order for this to be true another variable has to be altered. This variable is time. So the faster you the travel slower time goes (you need to be traveling at extremely high speeds for this to be noticeable). So if astronauts are traveling at high speeds then their time is going slower than our time. When they return to earth less time has passed for them which means they have aged less when compared to life on earth.
2007-02-12 05:58:35 · answer #7 · answered by E 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the faster you go the slower time goes (according to others) if you were on a spaceship going super fast, time would appear to you to be moving normally, but to others it will have appeared that time has slowed down. So I hear in class the other day that since pilots fly so much, and so fast they wll live like 3 seconds than everyone else. So go ahead and speed when you drive your car, when the cop pulls you over tell him you were just trying to live longer!
2007-02-12 07:39:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time dilation is only measurable close to light speed. At orbital speed it is totally irrelevant, possibly amounting to little more than nanoseconds if you are up there for 6 months.
2007-02-12 06:04:17 · answer #9 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We cannot explain it here, because that explanation would fill more than one big book.
2007-02-12 06:23:06 · answer #10 · answered by jhstha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋