The relativity of time: time dilation

In summary, the first conversation discusses time dilation and the calculation of time on Earth from the perspective of a spaceship traveling at 0.900c relative to Earth. The second conversation also involves time dilation, specifically in regards to the number of Earth hours measured by the captain of a spaceship traveling at 0.850c towards or away from Earth. However, it is unclear if the direction of travel affects the measurement of time on Earth.
  • #1
Jbum
18
0
QUESTION #1:

1. suppose a race on Earth was monitored by a spaceship traveling in space at 0.900c relative to the Earth and the space travelers measured the time of the race to be 125.6s. What was the time recorded on earth?

2. t = gamma t' where gamma = 1/ sqrt(1-v squared/c squared)

3. v = 0.900c
t = 125.6s??
t' = ?

I stopped here because I am not sure if I have my ts right. I know how to do all the math, just figuring out which t is which is harder for me in this particular question.

QUESTION #2

1. spacecraft is passing through the solar system at speed of 0.850c relative to earth. what does the captain measure for the number of hours in an Earth day if the spacecraft is moving a) towards Earth and b) away from earth?

2. v = 0.850c
t =?
t' = ?

3. No idea. How does traveling towards or away from Earth affect the number of Earth hours that one measures? that, i do not understand.thanks for the help in advance.
 
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  • #2
Jbum said:
QUESTION #1:

1. suppose a race on Earth was monitored by a spaceship traveling in space at 0.900c relative to the Earth and the space travelers measured the time of the race to be 125.6s. What was the time recorded on earth?

2. t = gamma t' where gamma = 1/ sqrt(1-v squared/c squared)

3. v = 0.900c
t = 125.6s??
t' = ?

I stopped here because I am not sure if I have my ts right. I know how to do all the math, just figuring out which t is which is harder for me in this particular question.




QUESTION #2

1. spacecraft is passing through the solar system at speed of 0.850c relative to earth. what does the captain measure for the number of hours in an Earth day if the spacecraft is moving a) towards Earth and b) away from earth?

2. v = 0.850c
t =?
t' = ?

3. No idea. How does traveling towards or away from Earth affect the number of Earth hours that one measures? that, i do not understand.


thanks for the help in advance.

Don't put two unrelated question under the same thread...i.e. start a new one for new questions.
 
  • #3
yes, i am aware of that thanks. i just happened to accidentally post it in the same thread, but did not know how to remove it.
 
  • #4
They're both time dilation questions, I'd rather not see two topics pertaining to the same concept myself >_>

Keep in mind that on the spaceship in both cases, events on Earth would appear to be happening faster

No idea. How does traveling towards or away from Earth affect the number of Earth hours that one measures?

Does the previous problem even mention if it's going away or towards, or just "relative to"? Did that make a difference?
 
  • #5
blochwave said:
They're both time dilation questions, I'd rather not see two topics pertaining to the same concept myself >_>


Orignially the post was inside another unrelated topic, hence my comment above. These two question are related but the thread has already be split out by a mentor.
 
  • #6
They would observe time of Earth's rotations as 24 hours long from either direction because they would have compensated for the redshift/blueshift in their computations.
 

What is time dilation?

Time dilation is a phenomenon in which time appears to pass at a different rate for an observer in different frames of reference. This is a key concept in Einstein's theory of relativity, which states that time is not absolute but is relative to an observer's frame of reference.

What causes time dilation?

Time dilation is caused by differences in relative motion and gravitational forces between observers. The faster an object moves or the stronger the gravitational pull it experiences, the slower time appears to pass for that object.

How does time dilation affect everyday life?

While time dilation is not noticeable in everyday life, it has been confirmed by various experiments and is essential for accurate GPS navigation and other technologies that rely on precise time measurements.

Is time dilation the same as time travel?

No, time dilation does not allow for actual time travel. It only means that time appears to pass at a different rate for different observers. Time travel, on the other hand, would involve physically moving through time to the past or future.

Can time dilation be observed?

Yes, time dilation has been observed and confirmed through various experiments, including the Hafele-Keating experiment in 1971 where atomic clocks were flown around the world and showed a slight difference in time compared to synchronized clocks on the ground.

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