Understand Time Measurements After Big Bang

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In summary, the concept of time is a human construct and is based on our measurement of predictable repetitions. However, our measurements of time have no significance in the universe at a specific point in time, such as the Big Bang. Time is simply a coordinate system and there is no direction or progression. Our brains interpret time as a linear progression, but in reality, all time exists simultaneously. Our measurement of time is simply a comparison to other things we observe in our surroundings.
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Rico_uk
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Hi everyone. This probably isn't the right place for people like me to ask stuff like this but I've searched the internet and am finding it hard to get any answers so I thought I'd post here. If the measurement of time is something we do by counting predictable repetitions, and these can vary dependant on relative speed to other objects etc. etc., how can people make statements like, 'we know what happened 1 second after the Big Bang? Surely our measurements of one second has absolutely nothing to do with our universe at that point in 'time'. Thank you and I hope someone can explain this to me!
 
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"Surely our measurements of one second has absolutely nothing to do with our universe at that point in 'time'."

Why not? Assuming I was there at the big bang and was sitting in some (very) shielded ship and watched my clock, what's wrong?

EDIT: Seconds in the modern world are defined as so many 'shakes' of a certain frequency of light.
 
  • #3
Ok, if seconds is measured in 'shakes of light' then I guess that makes sense as light is always constant. Thanks for your help!
 
  • #4
Time is a spatial dimension, just like space. The concept of "progression through time" really is a meaningless statement. Time is a coordinate system. You specify two positions in time. Each time position represents a defined set of coordinates for the space dimensions it represents. Draw a line between the two time positions and you have just drawn a timeline that defines how the defined spatial coordinates in space change from one time position to another time position. That's all time is. There's no direction. There's no "progress". Just an infinite series of change in spatial coordinates defined at infinite time points.

As an observer (that's us), our brains have to somehow interpret the series of change. Hard to do when when all time exists simultaneously just as all space exists simultaneously. Your birth, childhood, adulthood and death...exist at once. Our brains cope by assigning order to these individual time positions of our lives. And hence, this results in our interpretation of time as "progression" in a single direction in a timeline.

Of course, all this comes with significant philosophical ramifications of life, religion, consciousness and existence itself...which I won't get into at the moment.

WP
 
  • #5
Our time is based how long it takes our planet go around the sun
Months, days, hours, and seconds. We compare this time to other things we see.
It is all a comparison.
 

1. How is time measured in the context of the Big Bang?

In the context of the Big Bang, time is measured in terms of the expansion of the universe. This is typically measured in units of seconds, with the current age of the universe estimated to be around 13.8 billion years.

2. Why is it important to understand time measurements after the Big Bang?

Understanding time measurements after the Big Bang is crucial for our understanding of the origins and evolution of the universe. It helps us piece together the timeline of events that led to the formation of galaxies, stars, and eventually life on Earth.

3. How do scientists determine the age of the universe?

Scientists use various methods, such as measuring the cosmic microwave background radiation or the expansion rate of the universe, to determine the age of the universe. These measurements are then used to calculate the time elapsed since the Big Bang.

4. Can we accurately measure time before the Big Bang?

The concept of time as we know it does not apply before the Big Bang, as the laws of physics as we know them did not exist. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately measure time before the Big Bang.

5. How has our understanding of time measurements after the Big Bang evolved?

Our understanding of time measurements after the Big Bang has evolved significantly over the years, as new technologies and theories have emerged. For example, the discovery of cosmic inflation has helped refine our understanding of the earliest moments of the universe's existence.

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