Defining Mass and Time: A Scientific Exploration

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of time and its relation to matter and mass. The speaker questions whether time exists without matter and if time stops at absolute zero. They also question why mass is not defined as a calculation of distances and why time is not defined as a measurement of change in mass. The conversation also briefly touches on the volume of elementary particles and the relationship between mass and time. The summary concludes with the speaker expressing their confusion and starting a new thread for further discussion.
  • #1
Timmaay322
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When I started to get interested in Relativity (mostly SR) the one thing that kept me confused (most likely the same for everyone else) was the definition of time. And through some thought I came up with some questions. Without matter does time exist? (not getting into the debate of whether a photon has mass) My understanding is that time is a measurement of an event. An event is a physical change of mass i.e. change in position (oscillation) or change in size (growth). So does time exist in a vacume? And if my previous statements of time are true, at absolute zero will time stop? This leads me too my second thought. I have been told that mass (and time) are elementary measurements, but mass is the amount of matter, which is the amount of stuff something is made of. A quark is stuff. And let's say a quark has a shape of a perfect cube. Then a quark has a volume of L*W*H. And since a quark is the (currently) the most elementary particle with no empty space in its cube shape. The volume is the mass. Therefore the mass is a relavent measure of distances. So why isn't mass defined as a calculation of distances. And why isn't time defined as a measurment of the change in mass.

-Tim


FYI, Anything or everything I stated above could be idiotic, uniformed, ignorant, benight, stupid, very stupid, or just wrong. These are just the random thoughts that taunt me as I try to understand 13 billion years in one lifetime.
 
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  • #2
Timmaay322 said:
My understanding is that time is a measurement of an event. An event is a physical change of mass i.e. change in position (oscillation) or change in size (growth). So does time exist in a vacume? And if my previous statements of time are true, at absolute zero will time stop?

The way you have defined time as an abstract kind of concept. IMO you are asking, if I am not measuring anything, does a meter exist?

Timmaay322 said:
A quark is stuff. And let's say a quark has a shape of a perfect cube. Then a quark has a volume of L*W*H. And since a quark is the (currently) the most elementary particle with no empty space in its cube shape. The volume is the mass.

I think most people define quarks as point particles.
 
  • #3
The way you have defined time as an abstract kind of concept.

Is it not? How would you define it? The fact that time is relavent is pretty abstract. And maybe I should say if I don't have the ability to measure something does matter exist?



I think most people define quarks as point particles.
... That wasn't my point. The fact is that a quark, lepton, w/e... Has a volume. And since they are known as the most elementary particles, they should have no empty space in them, therefore their mass is equal to there volume. Or am I just approaching this incorrectly?

-Tim

FYI, Anything or everything I stated above could be idiotic, uniformed, ignorant, benight, stupid, very stupid, or just wrong. These are just the random thoughts that taunt me as I try to understand 13 billion years in one lifetime.
 
  • #4
the mass of a field set the proper time periodicity. The bigger the mass the smaller the periodicity. An electron has a periodicity of 10^-22 s. Too fast to be misured. On the other hand to define time it is necessary to define a phenomena as intrinsically periodic.
 
  • #5
Well I have no idea what your talking about and this thread isn't getting any replies. I still don't understand so I'm going to start a new thread...
 

1. What is the definition of mass?

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object. It is a quantitative property that determines the object's resistance to change in its motion. The standard unit of mass is the kilogram (kg).

2. How is mass different from weight?

Mass and weight are often used interchangeably, but they are actually different concepts. Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, while weight is a measure of the force exerted on an object by gravity. The mass of an object will remain the same regardless of its location, but its weight will change based on the strength of the gravitational force acting on it.

3. What is the definition of time?

Time is a measure of the duration of events and intervals between them. It is often measured in seconds (s), minutes (min), hours (hr), days (d), or years (yr). Time is a fundamental concept in physics and is used to measure the rate of change in various processes.

4. How is time defined in physics?

In physics, time is defined as a dimension in which events can be ordered from the past through the present to the future. It is often described as the fourth dimension, along with the three dimensions of space. Time is considered to be continuous and infinitely divisible, and it is a fundamental component of many theories and laws in physics.

5. Can time and mass be altered or manipulated?

While the definitions of time and mass are fixed, there are certain physical phenomena that can alter or manipulate them. For example, time dilation occurs when an object moves at high speeds, causing time to appear slower for the moving object. Mass can also be altered through processes such as nuclear fusion or fission. However, these alterations do not change the fundamental definitions of time and mass, but rather their measurements in a specific context.

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