Is Time Dilation Only About Velocity and Massive Objects?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter rab99
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Time Time dialation
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
3 replies · 3K views
rab99
Messages
104
Reaction score
0
time dilation is a function of only velocity ie if you are traveling @ C in any direction time stops yes? Time dilation is not dependent on any other parameter other than velocity?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
rab99 said:
time dilation is a function of only velocity ie if you are traveling @ C in any direction time stops yes? Time dilation is not dependent on any other parameter other than velocity?
Time dilation in any given inertial frame is only a function of the clock's velocity in that frame, yes (which means different frames disagree on the rate the same clock is ticking, since they disagree on its velocity). In any inertial frame, a clock moving at velocity v will be slowed down by a factor of [tex]\sqrt{1 - v^2/c^2}[/tex]. Note, however, that it's impossible for any massive object (like a clock) to move at exactly c, since it would take an infinite amount of energy to accelerate them to that speed; only massless particles like photons can move at exactly c.
 
Last edited:
Time also slows down near massive objects, such as when one approaches a black hole.