B Is Time a Dimension or a Measure of Movement?

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Time is often regarded as the fourth dimension, complementing the three spatial dimensions, as it is essential for understanding movement and separation in both space and time. While movement typically necessitates time, time can still be measured in situations of no movement, such as through biological or atomic processes. The concept of a coordinate system can incorporate time as a distinct axis, allowing for the analysis of intervals that remain consistent across different observers. The discussion emphasizes that while time can be related to velocity, it cannot be directly converted into spatial measurements. Ultimately, time serves as a fundamental aspect of our understanding of the universe, regardless of movement.
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Because it takes time to get from one point to another?
 
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Usually it is considered the 4th dimension, since there are 3 spatial dimensions.
 
mmmchicken said:
Because it takes time to get from one point to another?
It also takes time when you don't move. Dimension means that one cannot be converted into another. You could replace time by velocity (preferably that of light in a vacuum), but you cannot replace length by time or vice versa.
 
Basically, yes. We can hypothetically set up a coordinate system where three of the axes represent locations in space and an additional axis represents a "location" in time. That gives rise to the notion of the interval, the separation in both space and time, which unlike spatial separation is not observed to be different by observers with different velocities.
 
fresh_42 said:
It also takes time when you don't move. Dimension means that one cannot be converted into another. You could replace time by velocity (preferably that of light in a vacuum), but you cannot replace length by time or vice versa.
How can there be time with no movement? There's nothing to measure?
 
mmmchicken said:
How can there be time with no movement? There's nothing to measure?
Your heartbeat measures time. An atomic clock measures time, and it doesn't move at all (relative to the Earth's surface).
 
jack476 said:
Basically, yes. We can hypothetically set up a coordinate system where three of the axes represent locations in space and an additional axis represents a "location" in time. That gives rise to the notion of the interval, the separation in both space and time, which unlike spatial separation is not observed to be different by observers with different velocities.
Why isn't this preferred?
 
fresh_42 said:
Your heartbeat measures time. An atomic clock measures time, and it doesn't move at all (relative to the Earth's surface).
not measuring but confirming
 

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