General relativity time dilation

In summary, objects that are farther from a massive body will have a faster proper clock compared to objects closer to the body. This applies to planets like Pluto, but the difference is not significant by most standards. The difference in time can be measured using atomic clocks or calculated using the Schwartzschild formula, taking into account the relevant gravitational fields.
  • #1
TrickyDicky
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Accordingto GR, as an object gets farther from a massive body , its proper clock runs faster than the clock of an object nearer to the massive body. So would the planet Pluto for instance measure time significantly faster than we on earth, being further from the sun than us?
If so how could I measure the difference? With the time dilation Schwartzschild formula?
 
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  • #2
TrickyDicky said:
So would the planet Pluto for instance measure time significantly faster than we on earth, being further from the sun than us?
Faster, but not significantly faster by most people's standards. The atomic clocks aboard GPS satellites, for example, run at a slightly different rate than ones on the ground, and this is partly due to gravitational time dilation: http://www.lightandmatter.com/html_books/6mr/ch01/ch01.html

TrickyDicky said:
If so how could I measure the difference? With the time dilation Schwartzschild formula?

You could measure it with an atomic clock. You could calculate it using the Schwartzschild formula if the sun's field was the only relevant field, but that's not the case for the earth/Pluto example. In general, you can calculate it using the gravitational potential: http://www.lightandmatter.com/html_books/genrel/ch01/ch01.html#Section1.5 (subsections 1.5.7-1.5.8).
 
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1. What is time dilation in general relativity?

Time dilation in general relativity is a phenomenon where time passes at different rates for observers in different gravitational fields. This means that time can appear to move slower or faster depending on the strength of the gravitational field.

2. How does time dilation relate to Einstein's theory of general relativity?

Einstein's theory of general relativity explains that time and space are intertwined and can be affected by the presence of massive objects, such as planets or stars. This means that time dilation is a direct consequence of the curvature of space-time predicted by general relativity.

3. Can time dilation be observed in everyday life?

Yes, time dilation has been observed and measured in various experiments, such as the famous Hafele-Keating experiment where atomic clocks were flown on airplanes to test the effects of time dilation at different altitudes.

4. Does time dilation only occur in gravitational fields?

No, time dilation can also occur in other scenarios, such as when objects are moving at extremely high speeds. This is known as "relativistic time dilation" and is also predicted by Einstein's theory of special relativity.

5. How does time dilation impact our understanding of the universe?

Time dilation is a crucial aspect of general relativity and plays a significant role in our understanding of the universe. It helps explain phenomena such as the slowing down of time near black holes and the expansion of the universe. It also has practical applications, such as in the accuracy of GPS systems that rely on correcting for the effects of time dilation in space.

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