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just dave
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Hey just trying to learn something and maybe have an interesting conversation,buddy. Apparently no matter how many times I ask you will reply.
A thought Experiment in Time Dilation
- Context: High School
- Thread starter just dave
- Start date
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Discussion Overview
This discussion revolves around a thought experiment involving time dilation as it relates to a rapidly spinning disc. Participants explore the implications of relativistic effects on different points of the disc, particularly comparing the aging of the edge versus the center. The conversation touches on theoretical aspects of physics, specifically special relativity, and the potential observable effects of time dilation in such a scenario.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- One participant proposes spinning a disc made of super strong material at billions of RPM in a vacuum to observe time dilation effects, questioning whether the edge would "disappear" due to these effects.
- Another participant suggests that while clocks on the edge of the disc would tick more slowly compared to those at the center, they would not disappear, referencing previous experiments with Mossbauer rotors that observed relativistic effects.
- Some participants argue that the edge of the disc would age slower than the center, using the example of radioactive isotopes to illustrate this point.
- There is a discussion about the complexity of describing a rotating disc in special relativity and how it relates to general relativity, with one participant noting that GPS satellite clocks experience similar relativistic effects.
- Several participants express curiosity about the visual implications of time dilation, questioning whether one could observe the edge of the disc slipping back in time.
- One participant challenges the notion of the edge disappearing, emphasizing that it would still exist but would be aging at a different rate compared to the center.
- Another participant raises the philosophical question of what clocks are actually measuring, whether it is time itself or our perception of it.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally disagree on the interpretation of time dilation effects, particularly regarding the idea of the edge of the disc disappearing. While there is consensus that clocks on the edge would tick more slowly, the implications of this on physical presence and visibility remain contested.
Contextual Notes
Some participants note the limitations of the thought experiment, including the practical impossibility of achieving the proposed speeds and the complexities involved in applying special relativity to a rotating disc.
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