How Does Speed and Gravity Affect Time Dilation?

[aqwas]

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 ?

 

[russ_watters]

For Earth's gravity and an inaccurate clock, the difference would not be noticeable in a week.

 

[aqwas]

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.

 

[HallsofIvy]

The "distance from earth" is not relevant once you are far enough that the gravitational force is negligible.

 

[DrStupid]

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).

 

[russ_watters]

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.

 

[peppersausage]

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

 

[Nugatory]

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)