Einstein's Theory - Is Moving Away at Speed 'c' Constant Time?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of Einstein's theory of relativity, specifically regarding the perception of time when moving away from a clock at the speed of light, denoted as 'c'. Participants explore the concept of time dilation and the theoretical limitations of observing time from such a perspective.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether moving away from a clock at speed 'c' would result in seeing a constant time, seeking clarification on the concept.
  • Another participant suggests that if one were to move away from a clock at speed 'c', they would see the same image of the clock, implying no change.
  • A different participant clarifies that while one would not see the clock reading stand still, they would perceive the clock as running slower due to relativistic effects.
  • It is noted that discussing the perspective of an observer moving at exactly 'c' is problematic, as relativity does not permit such a scenario, and photons do not have a rest frame or a way to measure time.
  • A participant acknowledges a previous oversight regarding the implications of moving at 'c' and agrees with the clarification provided about the impossibility of such a scenario.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the implications of moving at speed 'c', with some agreeing on the impossibility of such a scenario while others explore the theoretical aspects of time perception in this context. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the interpretation of "constant time" in this framework.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in understanding the implications of moving at the speed of light, particularly regarding the definitions of time and the observer's frame of reference. There are unresolved assumptions about the nature of time and observation at relativistic speeds.

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I saw in some video that acc. to the theory if we move away from a clock with a speed 'c', then we would see a constant time. Is it correct? Please explain..
 
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If you could move away from a clock at speed c and you were looking back at the clock, isn't it obvious that you would continually see the same image of the clock, ie, not changing?
 
gpsinghsandhu said:
I saw in some video that acc. to the theory if we move away from a clock with a speed 'c', then we would see a constant time. Is it correct? Please explain..

By "constant time," do you mean that the clock reading would stand still? No, it wouldn't stand still, but you would see the clock as running slower.

If you want to get started on special relativity, a book I always recommend to people is Relativity Simply Explained by Gardner.
 
bcrowell said:
By "constant time," do you mean that the clock reading would stand still? No, it wouldn't stand still, but you would see the clock as running slower.
The question was specifically about moving away from the clock at c, not just a fraction of c, so I think the correct answer--as you have noted in other discussions--is that relativity doesn't allow us to talk about the point of view of an observer moving at exactly c (it would be impossible to accelerate any observer to c, and photons don't have their own rest frame or a way of measuring time)
 
JesseM said:
The question was specifically about moving away from the clock at c, not just a fraction of c, so I think the correct answer--as you have noted in other discussions--is that relativity doesn't allow us to talk about the point of view of an observer moving at exactly c (it would be impossible to accelerate any observer to c, and photons don't have their own rest frame or a way of measuring time)

Oops, I missed the fact that the OP said at c. You're right, of course.
 

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