Conservation of mass-energy in time travel

In summary, Kip Thorne discusses objections to using traversable wormholes as time machines, including the possibility of radiation destroying the wormhole. Another objection is the conservation of mass-energy, as a photon could go back in time and create two photons instead of one. However, in general relativity, energy is not conserved unless special conditions are met. This means that there are other objections to using closed time-like curves as time machines.
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nomadreid
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In Kip Thorne’s “Black Holes and Time Machines”, he outlines objections to using traversable wormholes, if they existed, as time machines, the main one being (roughly) that radiation could also time travel, and mount up to destroy the wormhole. But isn’t another objection the conservation of mass-energy? A photon could go back in time to meet itself from the past, suddenly giving two photons where there was only one.
 
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nomadreid said:
But isn’t another objection the conservation of mass-energy?
There is no such thing as global conservation of energy in general relativity unless special requirements are put on the space-time.
 
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Orodruin said:
There is no such thing as global conservation of energy in general relativity unless special requirements are put on the space-time.

Indeed!
In flat spacetime, energy is conserved as a consequence of the equations of objects' motion not depending on any absolute time, but only on relative times. This is one consequence of what's known as Noether's theorem.

If the spacetime is not flat, then there is no longer this time-translation symmetry, and energy need not be conserved.
 
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Thanks for the replies, Orodruin and jfizzix. That settles that. So I shall be content with the other objections to closed time-like curves (aka time machines).
 

What is the conservation of mass-energy in time travel?

The conservation of mass-energy is a fundamental principle in physics that states that the total amount of mass and energy in a closed system remains constant over time. This means that in any process, the total mass and energy before the process is equal to the total mass and energy after the process.

How does the conservation of mass-energy apply to time travel?

In time travel scenarios, the conservation of mass-energy still applies. This means that the total mass and energy in the universe must remain constant, even if objects or individuals are traveling through time. This can be seen in the "grandfather paradox," in which a person travels back in time and prevents their own birth, thus creating a paradox and violating the conservation of mass-energy.

What are some proposed theories for how the conservation of mass-energy is maintained in time travel?

One theory is that time travel itself creates a new timeline or parallel universe, in which the laws of physics, including the conservation of mass-energy, are maintained. Another theory is that time travelers are subject to the laws of the new time period they enter, and must follow the rules of that time in order to maintain the conservation of mass-energy.

Is it possible to violate the conservation of mass-energy in time travel?

Currently, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the conservation of mass-energy can be violated in any scenario, including time travel. However, some theories and hypotheses suggest that it may be possible to manipulate space-time in a way that allows for time travel without violating the conservation of mass-energy.

What are the implications of the conservation of mass-energy in time travel for the future of physics and technology?

The conservation of mass-energy is a fundamental principle in physics, and any potential violations of it would have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and the laws of physics. Time travel is a complex and hypothetical concept, and further research and advancements in technology are needed to fully understand its implications for the conservation of mass-energy.

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