Does Time Dilation Affect Observations in Baseball?

AI Thread Summary
In the discussion about time dilation in baseball, participants analyze the proper time interval between a pop fly hit and caught at home plate. It is established that none of the observers—spectators in the stands, viewers at home, or the third baseman—can measure the proper time since they are not moving with the baseball. Proper time is defined as the time measured in an inertial frame, which is not applicable here due to the baseball's acceleration. The consensus indicates that only a clock attached to the baseball would accurately record the proper time for the events. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding inertial frames and the implications of acceleration on time measurement.
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Homework Statement


A baseball player at home plate hits a pop fly straight up (the beginning event) that is caught by the catcher at home plate (the ending event). Which one or more of the following obeservers record(s) the proper time interval between the two events? (a) A spectator sitting in the strands (b) A spectator watching the game home on TV (c) The third baseman running to cover the play

Homework Equations


\Delta t=\frac{\Delta t_{0}}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}}

The Attempt at a Solution


As I understood time dilution it occurs when an object is moving and the obeserver is not inertial with the movement of the object. In this case neither of the observers is moving with the object (the baseball) so no one of the observers should be able to records the proper time interval between the two events. Only a clock that was a attached to the baseball itself would do that. Please explain why this view is not correct.
 
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In this case neither of the observers is moving with the object (the baseball)
Is time for the baseball relevant?

Check the problem statement - proper time of what is asked for?
 
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mfb said:
Is time for the baseball relevant?

Check the problem statement - proper time of what is asked for?
Proper time between the two events. I guess then that since the events take place at the same place, the proper time is measured according to an observer inertial for those two places, which would be a stationary observer.

However if the time measured would have been only on the baseball going up (but not down), the proper time measured would have had to move along with the baseball?
 
Tranceform said:
Proper time between the two events. I guess then that since the events take place at the same place, the proper time is measured according to an observer inertial for those two places, which would be a stationary observer.
Right.

However if the time measured would have been only on the baseball going up (but not down), the proper time measured would have had to move along with the baseball?
What's the endpoint you consider here?
The highest point of the ball? Then neither is right, as proper time corresponds to the time you see in an inertial (not accelerated!) frame moving from one point to the other. As we do not consider general relativity here, the ball is accelerated.
Still the surface? Then see the original problem.
 
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