Does Relativity Theory Explain Why Racing Drivers Age Slower?

[dramtulla]

Hi, and thanks for making such a great forum!
My question is as the title proposes. Would Einstein's Theory of Relativity - Time Dilation, mean that racing drivers age (all be it, small) slower than say a usually stationary human? (couch potato ;))

Thank you in advanced.

Which leads me too a more mind boggling though, if anyone could shed light (nvm the pun!) onto neutrinos traveling faster than light, because wouldn't that mean if we came into contact with such particles, wouldn't we would be witnessing particles before they was even created?

 

[CompuChip]

Hi, and thanks for making such a great forum!
My question is as the title proposes. Would Einstein's Theory of Relativity - Time Dilation, mean that racing drivers age (all be it, small) slower than say a usually stationary human? (couch potato ;))

In principle yes. Two remarks:
1) since racing drivers barely even move with respect to the speed of light, the effect would be negligible (it would be about 1 in 10^-18)
2) I suppose racing drivers were not born racing at constant speed 'till they die, so at some point there is acceleration (in fact, there probably will be acceleration due to friction and circular movement continuously). You may want to look into the twin paradox.

Which leads me too a more mind boggling though, if anyone could shed light (nvm the pun!) onto neutrinos traveling faster than light, because wouldn't that mean if we came into contact with such particles, wouldn't we would be witnessing particles before they was even created?

Yep, that sort of summarizes the whole problem. We (physicists) like the idea of causality (having cause before effect, like having to create particles before we can measure them) very much and confirmation of these measurements would kinda screw that up :-)

 

[nitsuj]

Yes but the couch potato could move to a [STRIKE]higher[/STRIKE] lower altitude to even out the difference.

 

[atyy]

Yes but the couch potato could move to a higher altitude to even out the difference.

Like living in New York City;)

 

[dramtulla]

CompuChip thank you - very informative, i think i found a home! :)
nitsuj u funny guy :D

 

[dramtulla]

ok so, the astronauts who have stayed in the ISS the longest have experienced the longest time dilation ever experienced by humans?

 

[nitsuj]

ok so, the astronauts who have stayed in the ISS the longest have experienced the longest time dilation ever experienced by humans?

I saw the "orbital" speed of the ISS is 27,000 km/h. If that's relative to Earth ground that would cause time dilation (relative motion).

Gravity also causes time dilation. Less gravity, less time dilation. So in the case of the ISS & gravity, time ticks faster there compared here (excluding the relative velocities). I corrected my post/joke above where I got that backwards, sorry about that, the couch potato should move to a lower altitude where gravity would be "stronger" to slow time.

I too wonder how different proper time is on the ISS compared to here on Earth.