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Warp
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(No, this is not homework assignment. This is something I'm curious about.)
Assume an astronaut were to travel from Earth to Alpha Centauri (about 4.37 light years distance) in a rocket. During the first half of the distance the rocket constantly accelerates at a comfortable 9.8 m/s2. At the half-way point the rocket turns the other way around and starts decelerating at that same 9.8 m/s2 until it stops at Alpha Centauri. The rocket immediately starts the journey back to Earth, and does the same thing on the way back.
When the rocket finally arrives back to Earth, how long did the journey take from the point of view of the astronaut? How much time will have passed on Earth?
For simplicity we can restrict ourselves to special relativity.
Assume an astronaut were to travel from Earth to Alpha Centauri (about 4.37 light years distance) in a rocket. During the first half of the distance the rocket constantly accelerates at a comfortable 9.8 m/s2. At the half-way point the rocket turns the other way around and starts decelerating at that same 9.8 m/s2 until it stops at Alpha Centauri. The rocket immediately starts the journey back to Earth, and does the same thing on the way back.
When the rocket finally arrives back to Earth, how long did the journey take from the point of view of the astronaut? How much time will have passed on Earth?
For simplicity we can restrict ourselves to special relativity.