Does time obey the inverse square law?

In summary, the conversation discusses the meaning and accuracy of the "bowling ball pushed into a bed" diagrams commonly used to depict space-time curvature. The participants also inquire about finding a graph depicting the dilation of time around bodies of mass and seek recommendations for software to visualize this concept. They also mention the formula for time dilation and its behavior at different distances from the gravitating body.
  • #1
D.S.Beyer
50
2
We have all seen the graphs of space time. The ones that look like a bowling ball pushed into a bed. But what are those graphs really saying?

Are they descriptions of gravitational force? Or simply a visual aid to describe the path that light follows around the body of mass?

My question is where can I find a graph depicting the dilation of time around bodies of mass? And does time obey the inverse square law?

I realized I have been looking at these graphs my whole life and never really understood what they mean. Help me out Physic Forums!
 
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  • #2
You are right, the "bowling ball pushed into a bed" diagrams show only space curvature; they don't show spacetime curvature, so really they don't explain all that much.

For a start, you might try the diagram at http://www.relativitet.se/spacetime1.html. (Don't take it too literally -- it's not supposed to imply that time is circular!)
 
  • #3
They are visual aids, do not take them too literally because there are many many caveats associated with them.

I've hosted an image from a movie I recently made which sort of describes what you're talking about http://i41.tinypic.com/w9740w.jpg". This is a scenario where two black holes are spiraling together. So, the color of the surface, the lapse, corresponds to the relative rate of time passage. As you can see, far away it is ~1, meaning time is flowing at the normal rate. However near the holes it goes down to only about .4 the time rate at infinity.

If you have any questions about this in particular don't hesitate to ask!
 
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  • #4
SpaceTime.jpg


Thanks for replying. What I am after is a "time-well" graphical representation.
I have found lots of time dilation graphs but no gravitational time dilation graphs.

I am a very visual person and would simply like to see the passage of time represented in the same fashion as the gravity well. Does anyone know of some software that will help me with this?
 
  • #5
You need some software capable of showing "3D" graphs.
The formula for time dilation (clock rate relative to clock rate at infinity) is
[tex]\sqrt{1-\frac{2M}{r}}[/tex]
For large r, this is approximately going as (1)-1/r, not 1/r².
For the interior of the gravitating body, it looks more like a parabola.
All in all, similar to your graph C.
 

1. What is the inverse square law?

The inverse square law states that the intensity of a physical quantity, such as light or gravity, is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.

2. How does the inverse square law apply to time?

In the context of time, the inverse square law refers to the concept that the rate at which time passes is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from a massive object. This is known as gravitational time dilation.

3. How does this affect our perception of time?

According to the theory of relativity, the closer an object is to a massive body, the slower time will pass for that object compared to an observer further away. This means that our perception of time can be influenced by the presence of massive objects in our vicinity.

4. Is the inverse square law of time proven?

While the theory of relativity has been extensively tested and confirmed, the inverse square law of time is still a theory and has not been definitively proven. However, it is widely accepted by the scientific community and is used in many calculations and models.

5. How does this relate to the concept of time travel?

The inverse square law of time is a crucial factor in the concept of time travel. As an object approaches the speed of light or enters a strong gravitational field, time will pass slower for that object compared to a stationary observer. This could potentially allow for time travel to the future, but the possibility of traveling to the past is still a subject of debate among scientists.

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