- #1
MaeWest
- 9
- 0
I have a BS in physics from some time ago. In another forum on another board I have become embroiled in a discussion with another poster about SR and the need to adjust the clocks on GPS satellites to account for SR effects. I need some help trying to explain things. As expressed by the other poster, our positions are
"And you keep missing the point about HOW they correct for the supposed time dilation. Time dilation, according to theory, DOES affect time itself. You could not, therefore, correct for it by adjusting the clock. IF it were really being observed, you would have to adjust for the variance via a different method of correction, but not through physically adjusting the clock to run slower.
"And no, the difference between what you are saying and what I am saying is this: you are saying that what is being observed is SRT/time dilation (effectively saying that time is what affected by the velocity of the satellites). I am saying the CLOCK is affected by the motion, NOT TIME. It may seem to give the appearance of affecting time, but it is the clock's mechanism that is affected."
Any suggestions on how to approach this? Nothing I've tried has worked to get through so far.
"And you keep missing the point about HOW they correct for the supposed time dilation. Time dilation, according to theory, DOES affect time itself. You could not, therefore, correct for it by adjusting the clock. IF it were really being observed, you would have to adjust for the variance via a different method of correction, but not through physically adjusting the clock to run slower.
"And no, the difference between what you are saying and what I am saying is this: you are saying that what is being observed is SRT/time dilation (effectively saying that time is what affected by the velocity of the satellites). I am saying the CLOCK is affected by the motion, NOT TIME. It may seem to give the appearance of affecting time, but it is the clock's mechanism that is affected."
Any suggestions on how to approach this? Nothing I've tried has worked to get through so far.