What is Twin paradox: Definition and 318 Discussions

In physics, the twin paradox is a thought experiment in special relativity involving identical twins, one of whom makes a journey into space in a high-speed rocket and returns home to find that the twin who remained on Earth has aged more. This result appears puzzling because each twin sees the other twin as moving, and so, as a consequence of an incorrect and naive application of time dilation and the principle of relativity, each should paradoxically find the other to have aged less. However, this scenario can be resolved within the standard framework of special relativity: the travelling twin's trajectory involves two different inertial frames, one for the outbound journey and one for the inbound journey. Another way of looking at it is by realising that the travelling twin is undergoing acceleration, which makes him a non-inertial observer. In both views there is no symmetry between the spacetime paths of the twins. Therefore, the twin paradox is not a paradox in the sense of a logical contradiction.
Starting with Paul Langevin in 1911, there have been various explanations of this paradox. These explanations "can be grouped into those that focus on the effect of different standards of simultaneity in different frames, and those that designate the acceleration [experienced by the travelling twin] as the main reason". Max von Laue argued in 1913 that since the traveling twin must be in two separate inertial frames, one on the way out and another on the way back, this frame switch is the reason for the aging difference. Explanations put forth by Albert Einstein and Max Born invoked gravitational time dilation to explain the aging as a direct effect of acceleration. However, it has been proven that neither general relativity, nor even acceleration, are necessary to explain the effect, as the effect still applies to a theoretical observer that can invert the direction of motion instantly, maintaining constant speed all through the two phases of the trip. Such observer can be thought of as a pair of observers, one travelling away from the starting point and another travelling toward it, passing by each other where the turnaround point would be. At this moment, the clock reading in the first observer is transferred to the second one, both maintaining constant speed, with both trip times being added at the end of their journey.

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  1. B

    Twin Paradox from Moving Reference Frame- Return Journey

    Homework Statement a) Alice is observing a small ball of mass m in relativistic motion bouncing elastically back and forth between two parallel walls separated by a distance L with speed u. After each collision it reverses direction, thereby creating a clock. What does Alice observe as the...
  2. F

    I Simultaneity and the Twin Paradox

    Here is a diagram from the Wikipedia. I'm sure you understand what this represents. Those who don't, can go to the Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_paradox) and see all the details. After my prior post, I have a better appreciation for simultaneity. Originally, when I looked...
  3. Sorcerer

    I Twin Paradox: Exploring Scientific American Article

    I know this publication is not peer reviewed, but when I saw this article it was exactly the same way I came to “understand” the twin paradox myself. I literally did this exact calculation (with a different gamma value). So I was wondering if the article was valid. If it isn’t, where isn’t it...
  4. Daniepie

    B How Does the Twin Paradox Affect Aging?

    I'm just trying to develop a general understanding of the 'twin paradox', so my description of this is will be a bit poor. I feel like I have a sound understanding so far on the topic, but the only thing that I can't seem to find an answer for is this scenario; Say you have the classic twin...
  5. Mohammad Fajar

    I Twin Paradox & Bondi K-Calculus: Who's Younger?

    Bondi K-Calculus very depend on who was send the signal. If two twin A and B make a journey, A send a signal and B receiving the signal then yes after the journey A will see B younger, and this applied too for the case B sending a signal and A reflecting, then after the journey A will younger.
  6. S

    I Twin paradox in SR and its applicability to radioactive decay

    Hi, thanks to a different thread/question on this forum I've come to appreciate time dilation ..somewhat. And from that I wondered if, given the range of locally measured times aboard any and all particles in the universe, given their different trajectories and histories since the big bang...
  7. L

    I Twin paradox not including accelerations, it is wrong where?

    Hi people! (Sorry for my poor english). I found everywhere that twin paradox need aceleration to explain it. Let me change the twin paradox a little: Suppouse that in Earth and before the traveller twin start his trip, you take two photos with old Polaroid camera, one to each twin. As we...
  8. A

    B Special relativity and the flow of time?

    Pardon me if this has been asked before, but I'm confused with the implication that SR makes, that there is no objective moment of present. Do the science still believe that the time flows (i don't mean the arrow of time, but the phenomena of flowing/passing, eq. flowing of a river)? I mean, how...
  9. S

    I Time Dilation and the Twin Paradox: A Look at the Relativistic Doppler Effect

    Hello everyone, Reminder: The key of the explanation of the "twin paradox" resides in the acceleration. We know that the time runs slower for the twin in the spaceship (since it was accelerated)...
  10. R

    B Special relativity and expansion of the Universe, A paradox

    Consider two bodies A &B are moving apart with a velocity V due to the expansion of space. According to an observer in A the body B is moving away and an observer in B feels the body A is moving apart. Can some one answer in which body the time dilates and why?. ( I am specifying once again that...
  11. Andy_K

    I Twin Paradox - Observation at Turnaround Moment

    Dear All, I am doing the Special Relativity course at World Science U, and came across this question which I got wrong: When 100 nanoseconds have elapsed on traveling Gracie's watch, she immediately stops, turns around, and heads back toward George at the same speed of her outbound journey...
  12. M

    I Twin paradox in GR - negative time?

    I was reading the wikipedia page on the twin paradox (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_paradox). It says: The mechanism for the advancing of the stay-at-home twin's clock is gravitational time dilation. When an observer finds that inertially moving objects are being accelerated with...
  13. Grimble

    I Proper (and coordinate) times re the Twin paradox

    This was straying from the point in the original thread, but I thought it made a point... The stay-at -home twin is at rest in her frame and her clock must therefore measure proper time. The traveling twin, carries his clock with him; it is therefore at rest in his frame and must also measure...
  14. V

    B Error in Einstein's Biography on Twin Paradox?

    Hi, I am reading the biography "Einstein's greatest mistake" from David Bodanis. On page 39 the author explains some of the consequences of relativity by referring to (although he doesn't mention it by name) the twin paradox. He explains that someone accelerating at high speed away from Earth...
  15. Buckethead

    B Triplet Paradox and Thought: Unlocking the Mystery of Time Dilation

    First off, let me just say I love this forum and all the people in it! The world is a better place because of all of you who take the time to post here and I thank you all! The most popular explanation to resolve the twin paradox seems to be the asymmetry that arises because the ship...
  16. m4r35n357

    B If anyone here doesn't yet get the twin "paradox". .

    Jim al Khalili did a (basic level) TV programme in the UK last night where he featured a smartphone app which works as a space-time "odometer". Now you can experiment on your own version of the legendary brain-teaser with your friends, no need to go to Alpha Centauri and back! Go for a walk...
  17. S

    I A _perfectly_ symmetric twin paradox cases

    Case 1) Two rockets (no Earth involved) have an exactly the same acceleration profile/flight-plan during round trip but they dispatched to opposite directions. At the start both rockets are docked to the same space station...both rockets have an identical engine operation plan during the round...
  18. Dimani4

    B Special Relativity: What Time is it?

    This question based on the site located here: http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/252/srelwhat.html The question is: If the object (spaceship) moving close to the velocity of light and I'm as a static object. The time goes slower in the object moving with constant velocity (inertial frame)...
  19. J

    I Twin Paradox: Comparing Lengths of Moving Rods

    Imagine that we have two metal rods, and both measure 1 meter, a measurement done from the same inertial system when they are at speed = 0. These two rods are equal, the extreme points of the first one are called a and b and its inertial system is called F, the extreme points of the other rod...
  20. Jeff B L

    B Special case of the twin paradox in special relativity

    There is something about the twin paradox in special relativity that has always bothered me. One twin sets out on a journey at a large fraction of the speed of light, turns around and returns. The fact that the returning twin is the one who is younger is explained by the fact that they are the...
  21. K

    I Time Dilation Between Astronaut A and Person B

    Definitions: Astronaut is A Person on Earth is B A travels to a star far away at near light speed, A would see B's time dilate. B would also see A's time dilate Twin paradox revived: What would happen if A returns to B at a very slow speed? Then both frames of reference would see each others'...
  22. N

    I Understanding the Twin Paradox: Exploring Special Relativity and Time Dilation

    Hello. Thank you to everyone who helped me with my previous post where I had general questions on special relativity. Several users suggested that I start by trying to understand the relativity of simultaneity which I did. Although I haven't mastered it, I understand it better now. Also, someone...
  23. S

    B Twin Paradox: A and B at Different Speeds

    Hi, I'm trying to understand the twin paradox and time dilation. Someone told me that if observer A and observer B are traveling apart from each other with each having a uniform speed of .4c they will have the same age when they return back at the point of origin. Even though I'm unsure of...
  24. E

    I What happens during acceleration in time dilation?

    I understand that the twin paradox isn't truly a paradox, and that the traveling twin ages since the universe can be "aware" of his traveling. However, my question is how does the time dilation formula break down? Why can't you integrate dT' = dT * Gamma for each velocity as the traveler...
  25. robphy

    Insights Relativity on Rotated Graph Paper - Comments

    robphy submitted a new PF Insights post Relativity on Rotated Graph Paper Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
  26. B

    B Help With the Twin Paradox: Why Does Time Dilation Apply?

    Forgive my naivete, but I've struggled with the twin paradox for a long time. If there is no privileged frame of reference, why does time dilation apply only to the traveling twin? I have been told (possibly erroneously) that the stay-at-home represents the entire universe, but this seems to...
  27. soothsayer

    I Lines of simultaneity in Twin Paradox spacetime diagram

    I set up a Twin Paradox scenario and accompanying spacetime diagram to help better understand the resolution, but I had a question about the diagram I was hoping someone here could help answer. Please excuse the hastily drawn diagram! (Note: the ' frame corresponds to the outbound trip, the...
  28. P

    I Does the 1 Second after the Big Bang = 1 second now?

    When I read that conditions were such and such 1 to .05 seconds after the big bang, is that duration somehow longer than 1/2 second is now (maybe because of the difference in density or like the twin paradox?)?
  29. J

    B Twin Paradox Visualization: Understanding with Java & Diagrams

    I decided to work a bit on my Java program created to visualize the Twin Paradox. It shows two diagrams. One from the perspective of the stay at home/earth twin on the left side and the traveling twin on the right side/diagram. The accelerations are considered to be near instantaneous, hence why...
  30. F

    B Is special relativity incomplete?

    I feel a difficulty in understanding SP at fundamental level which is somewhat related with twin paradox. Let me take a thought scenario: in empty space or vacuum two boxes(A and B) with their own light sources attached are separated from each other at a far distance r initially. If they are...
  31. C

    I Twin Paradox Resolution -- Inertial frames

    Thinking and reading about the twin paradox recently, I encounter a lot of explanations and resolutions that don't make sense to me. At its most basic, the issue is- when two bodies are in different frames of reference, why shouldn't relativistic effects affect both equally, negating time...
  32. FallenApple

    Is the Gravitational Twin Paradox Solved by Calculating Geodesic Paths?

    So say that there are twins. Twin A is near a heavy planet and twin B is out far away in space. Why does time slow for twin A compared to B? Can't they say that they both are in inertial frames because there are no forces(gravity isn't a force) acting upon them? Therefore for each of them can...
  33. I

    I Understanding the GR Twin Paradox: Explained in a Concise Video

    Hi, I just saw a video about the twin paradox, explained by using GR. I was wondering whether I understood the video correctly. The video states that when the rocket twin is first accelerating away from earth, his clock and his Earth twin's clock are different, but, roughly the same because of...
  34. Dennydont

    How does the doppler effect resolve the twin paradox?

    If you had twin 1 on the earth, and twin 2 fly to a star and back at a speed of v with the Earth and star separated by a distance L, twin 1 sends out flashes at intervals of t seconds (measured in his frame). Taking into consideration the numbers of redshifted and blueshifted flashes that the...
  35. DiracPool

    More twin paradox and acceleration

    I just came across this video today with Brian Greene talking about how time slows down for an observer near a black hole relative to an observer who is farther away. See the first two minutes: It reminded me of another video I saw recently by David Butler where he states that the twin...
  36. J

    Does the Circular Twin Paradox Challenge Our Understanding of Time Dilation?

    Here is a scenario in which two twins age at different rates even though both always have the same speed.Consider a train track that includes a circular segment with ground circumference minutely greater than 80. Two twins are on a train with synchronized watches (Frank at the front and Reba at...
  37. E

    Signal time in Twin Paradox: Fast clocks? Redshift/blueshift

    NOTE: This is NOT a homework problem. I created this one myself based on some problems I have seen, with specific numbers used to make calculation clean and easy. Tl/dr version: in a round trip to a star, will the "moving clock" run slower on the way there but faster on the way back due to the...
  38. Aero_Arnendu

    Twin Paradox: Relation between Age and Speed of light .

    Hey Friends, In Einstein's special relativity I find "Twin Paradox", where Dick and Jack, two twins . one of them went to space at a speed of 0.80c to a star 20 light year away (where c is the speed of light) and other remains on earth. When Jane returned to Earth his age was...
  39. Orodruin

    Insights A Geometrical View of Time Dilation and the Twin Paradox - Comments

    Orodruin submitted a new PF Insights post A Geometrical View of Time Dilation and the Twin Paradox Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
  40. A

    Help with Twin Paradox: Understand Contradiction

    I was hoping I could get some help on wrapping my head around the twin paradox. The problem is I have never seen the following "contradiction" addressed. I understand (at least on paper) that events simultaneous in one frame needn't be simultaneous in another. But consider the following...
  41. Y

    Question regarding a twin paradox related example

    Since I am new to the forum here, I apologize in advance that in case similar example has been explained in another thread. If so, please kindly refer me to the appropriate place to read further. In my example, there will be four reference objects, earth, E, distant star, S, spaceship A, and...
  42. T

    Can Time Travel Paradoxes be Expressed as Equations? A Scientific Inquiry

    I'm working on a Time Travel novel. Need to know if anyone can express the paradoxes as equations.
  43. N

    Question Regarding the Twin Paradox

    Homework Statement In the twin paradox suppose the twins are named Dick and Jane. And they both are 20 years old.Dick takes off on a voyage at a speed of 0.8c to a star 20 light years away.Lets say that both the twins send each other signals once a year while Dick is away.How many signals does...
  44. Stephanus

    Twin Paradox and Time Asymmetry in Special Relativity

    Dear PF Forum, Can someone make it clear for me? Perhaps I should ask a very simple question. Concerning just one direction. The distance between Earth and Star T is 100 lys. The clock is synchronized for A and B And as PeterDonis pointed out at my previous thread. Which I believe 87% is an...
  45. Stephanus

    Does the Twin Paradox Break Symmetry in the Zig-Zag Scenario?

    Dear PF Forum, Sorry if I ask (again) about twin paradox, after so many question about this topic here. Supposed T is a star 100 ly from earth. If B travels to T from earth A. Is the symmetry broken? B. If B watches A's clock at Earth and A watches B's clock at T, do they see the other clock...
  46. C

    Twin Paradox - Question on Space Time Diagram Analysis Resolution

    I started a thread previously (https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/time-dilation-happens-on-moving-frame-but-which-one.814622/) around this concept but it got closed by one of the staff after helpfully pointing me to...
  47. B

    Twin paradox with acceleration

    A spaceship leaves earth. One twin stays back, the other is on the ship. The ship accelerates for 5 years with a constant acceleration (the 5 years are in the reference frame of the ship), then it decelerates for 5 years. Then, it turns around and does the same thing again. All the accelerations...
  48. blue_leaf77

    Twin Paradox (again(again(again )))

    When you see the title of this thread, I'm sure you will either be bored or excited because this is one of those famous 'paradoxes' in SR. So I read the book by Schutz on the part of explanation behind the twin paradox. There he gave an example of two sisters Diana and Artemis involved in the...
  49. N

    What is the Real Life Twin Paradox?

    Landed on this PBS page, and read that there is going to be a real life twin paradox. Excerpt from the article "Astronaut twins Scott and Mark Kelly are about to realize this experiment: when Scott returns from a year in orbit in 2016 he will be about 28 microseconds younger than Mark, who is...
  50. D

    Twin Paradox in Kerr Metric - Help Needed

    Hi. I've been struggling with a formulation of the twin paradox in the Kerr metric. Imagine there are two twins at some radius in a Kerr metric. One performs equatorial circular motion whilst the other performs polar circular motion. They separate from one another and the parameters of the...
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