How infinite does time get by gamma

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of time for a photon traveling at the speed of light. It is suggested that the photon could measure time and distance using its own wavelength as a "measuring-rod". However, comparing its measurements with those of a slower-than-light observer does not make sense. The possibility of becoming a photon is also mentioned.
  • #1
zZhang
11
0
How infinite does time get by gamma...

So I was thinking, say you have a photon traveling at c. I would assume that the photon's own time frame would have time passing as normal. Now after a time t has passed in the photon's frame, some infinite amount of time would have passed say, on Earth by the time dilation equations, but that seemed a bit strange, from the light's point of view anyways, what would it "see" after a second or whatever in its own time? The universe come and gone? >.<

Then I thought about assigning different alephs to the set of time intervals traversed, but meh I'm now more confused that before. Help please! ;-)
 
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  • #2
Hi zZhang! :smile:

A photon could measure time and distance using its own wavelength as a "measuring-rod", I suppose.

So a photon can only really compare its own measurements with another photon's.

Comparing its own measurements with those of a slower-than-light observer doesn't make any more sense than trying to project something onto a screen when the angle of the screen to you is 0º - the ratios become infinite!
 
  • #3
Yea that was the thing, that it didn't make any sense. Is there just no sense of time in the photon's frame?
 
  • #4
Be a photon!

Well, as I said, the photon could measure time by using its wavelength - it should certainly be able to compare the lengths of different objects that way, and also to compare the wavelengths of other photons! :smile:

But unless you're thinking of becoming a photon yourself … :confused:
 

1. How is time affected by gamma in relation to infinity?

The concept of time dilation is a result of the theory of relativity, which states that time can be stretched or compressed depending on the relative speed between two objects. Gamma, or the Lorentz factor, is a term used to calculate this time dilation. As the relative speed between objects approaches the speed of light, gamma approaches infinity, resulting in an infinite amount of time dilation.

2. Can time actually reach infinity?

According to the theory of relativity, time can continue to stretch as the relative speed between objects increases. However, it is currently believed that time cannot reach infinity, as the speed of light is the maximum limit for the relative speed between objects. This means that time can continue to stretch infinitely, but it will never actually reach infinity.

3. How does gamma affect the perception of time?

Gamma not only affects the actual length of time, but also the perception of time for an observer. As an object approaches the speed of light, time for that object slows down relative to a stationary observer. This means that an observer would perceive time as passing slower for the object moving at high speeds, leading to a perceived time dilation.

4. Is the concept of infinite time supported by scientific evidence?

The concept of infinite time is still a topic of debate among scientists and philosophers. While the theory of relativity predicts the possibility of time dilation approaching infinity, there is no concrete evidence to support the existence of infinite time. However, the theory has been extensively tested and has been proven to accurately predict the effects of time dilation in various experiments.

5. Can gamma be used to travel through time?

While the theory of relativity allows for time dilation and the stretching of time, it does not support the idea of time travel. This is because even with infinite time dilation, an object would still experience time in a linear fashion and would not be able to travel to a specific point in the past or future. Additionally, the amount of energy required to reach speeds close to the speed of light would be impossible to achieve with our current technology.

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