Earths rotation and special relativity

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of Earth's rotation and special relativity, particularly focusing on time dilation and its effects on aging as perceived by observers in different frames of reference. Participants explore hypothetical scenarios involving planets and the twin paradox, examining how relative motion and acceleration influence the experience of time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether an increase in Earth's rotation speed would lead humans to perceive themselves as living longer and experiencing time faster, referencing special relativity.
  • Another participant counters that time dilation does not affect personal perception of time; individuals would still experience their own clocks ticking normally.
  • A hypothetical scenario is presented where two planets, initially at the same speed, diverge in velocity, prompting questions about how inhabitants of each planet would perceive aging relative to one another.
  • The twin paradox is introduced, illustrating that one twin traveling at high speed would age less than the stationary twin, despite both perceiving their own aging as normal.
  • Questions arise regarding the source of aging differences and the role of acceleration in determining who ages more slowly, with a suggestion that the rest frame is preferred due to the absence of acceleration.
  • Further discussion includes a thought experiment involving two observers rotating around a star in opposite directions, questioning how their aging would be determined upon meeting again.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of special relativity and the twin paradox, with no consensus reached on the interpretation of aging differences and the effects of acceleration.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about frames of reference and the effects of acceleration, which remain unresolved. The relationship between relative motion and perceived aging is also not definitively established.

git67
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Now before you read this i would like to state that this is not for homework, and i am not very experienced in the study of physics, but i find it fascinating, and have a question i am curios about.

If according to the theory of relativity (i thinks its special relativity) mass which is traveling at a faster speed compared to slower mass, will experience time more quickly, Does that means if the rotation of Earth was to increase in speed, would us humans appear to live longer to ourselves and would year we experience seem to go by faster?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
git67 said:
Does that means if the rotation of Earth was to increase in speed, would us humans appear to live longer to ourselves and would year we experience seem to go by faster?

No, unfortunately, time dilation does not work like this. We would see our own clocks tick normally, and our own bodies age at the usual rate.
 
so if there were 2 planets for instance, and the both originally moved that the same speed, but one planet's velocity increased, while the other planets velocity was unchanged. would the latter planet observing the higher velocity planet, find that the inhabitants lived longer in relation to how long the unchanged planets lived? (disregarding the perceived time the faster planets inhabitants experienced? (this may very well be a stupid question, but i want to understand more about relativity
 
I think you want to learn about something called "the twin paradox."

My wife is several years younger than me. If I get in a rocket and move away from and then back to the Earth at high enough speed (with respect to the Earth) for long enough, when I return, my wife will be older than me, event though I think I age normally, and my wife thinks she ages normally.
 
But what is the source of the aging difference? How can you say who moved? From your persepctive, your wife moved and so she should come back even younger than you? Is the acceleration/deceleration the source of the difference? You accelerated/decelerated while your wife's frame of reference is stationary.

Imagine that you both are rotating around a star but in oposite directions. While passing each other you take a glimpse and you both look equally young. The next time you pass by each other, what determines who looks younger and who looks older?
 
Last edited:
The usual resolution of the Twin's paradox is to state that the "rest" frame is "preferred" since it has no acceleration; while the rocket ship's frame of reference accelerated twice. This brings you to the realm of General relativity, as special relativity is not readily equiped to deal with accelerations.

I have seen on Wikipedia a way to resolve this without resorting to the acceleration argument, but I've since forgotten. You may want to check that article out.
 
stone1 said:
But what is the source of the aging difference? How can you say who moved? From your persepctive, your wife moved and so she should come back even younger than you? Is the acceleration/deceleration the source of the difference? You accelerated/decelerated while your wife's frame of reference is stationary.

Imagine that you both are rotating around a star but in oposite directions. While passing each other you take a glimpse and you both look equally young. The next time you pass by each other, what determines who looks younger and who looks older?
The wife always looks younger. The laws of physics are irrelevant, this is a much more fundamental law that all husbands learn quickly.

However, if you want to change the objects of interest to clocks, then please see the FAQ I posted above. It answers all of the questions you have raised.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
3K
  • · Replies 79 ·
3
Replies
79
Views
6K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 41 ·
2
Replies
41
Views
6K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K