How Does Speed and Gravity Affect Time Dilation?

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    Analog Clock Earth
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the effects of speed and gravity on time dilation, particularly in the context of an analog clock orbiting Earth. Participants explore how time may differ between the clock and those on Earth after a period of travel, considering both special relativity (SR) and general relativity (GR) effects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that time slows down with lower gravity and higher speed, questioning whether an analog clock would show different time after orbiting Earth.
  • Others argue that for Earth's gravity and an inaccurate clock, any difference in time would not be noticeable over a week.
  • There is a suggestion that the clock's mechanism may slow down further away from Earth, potentially leading to observable differences in time upon return.
  • One participant states that once far enough from Earth, the gravitational force becomes negligible, making distance irrelevant to time dilation effects.
  • Another participant notes that while special relativity effects slow down the clock, general relativity effects may speed it up, particularly in high Earth orbits, similar to GPS clocks.
  • Some participants highlight that time dilation effects become more pronounced as one approaches the speed of light, while the influence of gravity diminishes in orbit.
  • A later reply introduces a scenario illustrating the relativity of time perception, questioning how both observers can perceive time differently yet be correct in their frames of reference.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views on the relationship between speed, gravity, and time dilation, with no consensus reached on the specifics of how these factors interact.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding assumptions about clock accuracy, the effects of gravity at various distances, and the mathematical implications of relativistic effects that remain unresolved.

aqwas
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As far as I'm informed time slows down the lower the gravity and the faster we move. Let's say I go out in space with an analog clock and orbit the Earth. When I come back to Earth after, let's say, a week will my analog clock show different time from the clocks on the planet ?
 
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For Earth's gravity and an inaccurate clock, the difference would not be noticeable in a week.
 
The main point of my question is will the mechanism of the clock slow down further away from Earth so that when I come back I can see a difference in the time the other clocks show and my analog.
 
The "distance from earth" is not relevant once you are far enough that the gravitational force is negligible.
 
aqwas said:
The main point of my question is will the mechanism of the clock slow down further away from Earth so that when I come back I can see a difference in the time the other clocks show and my analog.

Apart from the accuracy, that depends on the speed of the clock. SR effects slow it down and GR effects speed it up. In a high Earth orbit it will run faster (like the GPS clocks).
 
aqwas said:
The main point of my question is will the mechanism of the clock slow down further away from Earth so that when I come back I can see a difference in the time the other clocks show and my analog.
I'm not clear on the point, given that in the OP you indicated you understand that time itself is dilated.
 
Depending on how fast you are moving, time will slow down. Those who are in the moving frame of reference will experience less time then those who are sitting still. The closer you get to the speed of light, the more noticeable effects the effects will be. The gravitational aspect won't be as influential because orbiting the Earth doesn't change gravity all that much
 
peppersausage said:
Depending on how fast you are moving, time will slow down. Those who are in the moving frame of reference will experience less time then those who are sitting still. The closer you get to the speed of light, the more noticeable effects the effects will be.

There's more to it than that. Consider this situation:

You are at rest, while I move past you at .8c so that time is running slow for me; for every second of your time that passes, I experience only .6 seconds. But we could just as well say that I am at rest while you are moving backwards as .8c; and then you would be the one for whom time is passing more slowly. How can we both be right?

(If you already understand what's going on here, I apologize - most people who say "time slows down when you move" do not, and I have no way of knowing whether you're an exception)
 

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