Time dialation effect on observed speed of light

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of time dilation due to gravity and its effect on the speed of light. It is mentioned that in general relativity, the speed of light is a local notion and may not have a well-defined global speed. The discussion also brings up the possibility of the speed of light appearing to slow down as it approaches a black hole. It is concluded that there is no requirement for the observed speed of light to have the same time dilation effects as the observer.
  • #1
rcgldr
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Assume observer is located on the surface of the Earth with a small amount of time dilation due to gravity. There are two beams of light moving approximately parallel to the surface of the Earth at some moment in time and the reflection of the beam off some objects back to the observer is being used to determine the speed of light. One of the beams is very close to the observer and affected by the time dilation effect of gravity, while the other beam is far from the Earth (at a known distance), with almost no time dilation effect due to gravity. So is the observed speed of light the same for both beams?

Or for an extreme case, imaging the distant beam is approaching the event horizon of a black hole, does it's speed appear to be slowing (perhaps approaching zero?) as it approaches the event horizon to the observer back on earth?

Or is the requirment for an observered constant speed of light require that the light have the same time dilation effects as the observer (both experience the same gravitational intensity)?
 
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  • #2
In general relativity, the notion of an observed speed is a local notion. A distant object's speed is not very well defined because there are may be no global coordinate systems available.

Relativity says, all local measurements of the speed of light will yield c, it does not make such a claim for any global speed of light, if any such notion even exists.
 
  • #3
Thanks, that's what I thought, but I one of my kids was asking about this.
 

1. What is time dilation?

Time dilation is a phenomenon in which time appears to pass slower for objects that are moving at high speeds or under the influence of a strong gravitational field. This effect was first predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of relativity.

2. How does time dilation affect the observed speed of light?

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is constant in all frames of reference. This means that even if an observer is moving at a high speed, the speed of light will always appear to be the same to them. However, due to time dilation, the time experienced by the observer will be different, which can affect the perceived speed of light.

3. Can time dilation make the speed of light appear faster or slower?

No, time dilation does not affect the actual speed of light. The speed of light is a fundamental constant and cannot be changed. However, due to the differences in perceived time, the speed of light may appear to be different to observers in different frames of reference.

4. How is time dilation measured?

Time dilation can be measured using precise clocks and comparing the time experienced by objects in different frames of reference. For example, atomic clocks on GPS satellites have been used to confirm the effects of time dilation predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity.

5. Can time dilation be observed on a daily basis?

Yes, time dilation can be observed on a daily basis in many ways. For example, the GPS system relies on taking into consideration the effects of time dilation to ensure accurate navigation. Additionally, astronauts in space experience time dilation due to their high speeds, which can result in them aging slightly slower than people on Earth.

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