There was this dude traveling at 90% of the speed of light...?

Question

I was reading "Relativity: An Introduction for Younger Readers." One of the chapters was about the twin paradox. Some dude named Al went on a spaceship and traveled 10 lightyears. It only felt like 36 days had passed for him and 10 years had passed for his twin Ike . I don't understand why it only felt like 36 days,for Al, which means I don't understand relativity. Can someone explain this to me?

Answer 1

As you approach the speed of light, subjective time passes more slowly.

Someone needs to figure out how to make a lunchbox that keeps stuff moving at the speed of light; it would stay fresh as long as you want it.

Answer 2

It does happen to young people venturing into the simplicity of space, time and relativity.
You see it's something like this:
You are now at USA
but at the same time you are at Mexico
Sam at Usa says u are at Usa and Evie at Mexico says u are at Mexico
This is possible if u can travel at speed of light 300000000 m/s
Similary Al travel 10 light years at a fast pace which makes him feel that only 36 days have passed. But relatively Ike is not moving so fast that he feels as if 10 years have passed.

Answer 3

All the previous answers have been vague or outright stupid at best. This is the simplest way to explain the why. Time is a dimension, just like north/south, east/west, up/down. If you are walking north at say 3 miles an hour, then you keep your speed, but now you are also traveling east at 1.5 miles an hours, this means you aren't traveling north quite as fast, (half as fast). It's the same as time, since time is a dimension if you are completely at rest with the other three dimensions, you are traveling through time at the speed of light (196 thousand miles a second) But if you start moving at 90% of that, through the other dimensions at 176,400 miles a second (90% the speed of light), you would only be traveling through time at 19,600 miles a second. And every year you were traveling at that speed, 10 years would pass for someone who was at rest within the other 3 dimensions. Space is actually 11 dimensional, but I have no reason to get into that.

Answer 4

It can be xxplained like this , suppose u r travelling with speed of light to a very distant object , lets say 400 light years away , and since u r travelling at 90% of speed of light , time taken by u to go to that object and then return to earth is very short , where as the other person who is here on earth is not going anywhere , just moving around sun , and for him a considerable time has gone since u left coz the time runs faster for him than u , its a case of time dilation ,

simple example is that when u run u cover the same distance in much less time, whereas when u walk u cover the distance in more time , so the time gets delayed for the walking person ,

Answer 5

Einstein said that at the speed of light time stands still. As you approach the speed of light, relative to standing still, time slows down gradually. So when you are at 90% of the speed of light 36 days to you is 10 years to the person standing still.
Look at it this way; if your on your bike going 5 MPH and your brother passes you at 12 MPH, Your brother is going 7 MPH relative to you.
Hope this helps.
Doyle speak for yourself.
Your answer is only going to confuse her more.

Answer 6

In Al's own space ship he didn't notice any changes in time for himself or his the ship. But Ike observing Al would have seen Al slowing down like a video replay going slower and slower as the ship moved faster.

On the other hand, Al looking out at Ike would have seen him speeding up.

Answer 7

Al & Ike were brothers "Relatives"...
Relatives are people related to each other..
I hope that helps...
( My best effort at humor )