Realistic Time Dilation for Objects > Subatomic Particles

In summary, time dilation has been a well known proven result of Relativity. It has been demonstrated most notably in satellites traveling thousands of mph around the world with GPS. You can only go forward with our current understanding of physics.
  • #1
dsaun777
293
39
Time travel, or more precisely time dilation, has been a well known proven result of Relativity. It has been demonstrated most notably in satellites traveling thousands of mph around the world with GPS. You can only go forward with our current understanding of physics.
Have there been any attempts to push these experiments further? Any attempt to make something of a larger mass than a subatomic particle reach near the speed of light? I realize that would require a tremendous amount of energy, but there could be some clever way to reach high velocities other than burning fuels and large particle accelerators.
If you know of any methods I would like to be the first to enter some time capsule and travel few decades into the future.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
dsaun777 said:
there could be some clever way to reach high velocities other than burning fuels and large particle accelerators.
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. If you want to go fast relative to the Earth (those last four words are important - you are already traveling fast with respect to various subatomic particles) then you need to get the energy to accelerate you from somewhere.
 
  • #3
To put numbers on it, to get a time dilation factor of just 2, for a 1 gram object, you would need to impart kinetic energy equal to the Nagasaki nuclear bomb without destroying the object.
 
  • Like
Likes Heikki Tuuri, russ_watters, Vanadium 50 and 1 other person
  • #4
For reference, the Breakthrough Starshot project aims to send gram-sized StarChips to Alpha Centauri at around 0.15c to 0.2c. This would correspond to a gamma factor of around 1.02.
 
  • #5
PAllen said:
To put numbers on it, to get a time dilation factor of just 2, for a 1 gram object, you would need to impart kinetic energy equal to the Nagasaki nuclear bomb without destroying the object.
...which requires about 80% of the speed of light.
 
  • #6
dsaun777 said:
Time travel, or more precisely time dilation...
:nitpick:
These two things should not be conflated.
Time dilation is not "time travel".

I mean, time dilation is no more "time travelling" than simply getting older is "time travelling".
 
  • Like
Likes Orodruin and Ibix
  • #7
russ_watters said:
...which requires about 80% of the speed of light.
Well, closer to 90%: 86.6%, or exactly (√3)/2 of c.
 
  • Like
Likes russ_watters
  • #9
n
Orodruin said:
For reference, the Breakthrough Starshot project aims to send gram-sized StarChips to Alpha Centauri at around 0.15c to 0.2c. This would correspond to a gamma factor of around 1.02.
That is interesting to be able to reach our closest star in 20 years
DaveC426913 said:
:nitpick:
These two things should not be conflated.
Time dilation is not "time travel".

I mean, time dilation is no more "time travelling" than simply getting older is "time travelling".
I do consider aging time traveling, seeing time is the fourth dimension we are all moving through. If you can age more slowy than others through time dilation you are taking a very different path in spacetime.
 
  • #10
dsaun777 said:
I do consider aging time traveling...
Which is fine, but you may get tired of being challenged on it - or worse, not being taken seriously.
 
  • #11
DaveC426913 said:
Which is fine, but you may get tired of being challenged on it - or worse, not being taken seriously.
I don't care.
 

1. What is time dilation?

Time dilation is a phenomenon in which time appears to pass at different rates for objects moving at different speeds. It is a key concept in Einstein's theory of relativity and has been confirmed through numerous experiments.

2. How does time dilation affect subatomic particles?

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, time dilation affects all objects, including subatomic particles. As particles move at high speeds, time appears to pass more slowly for them compared to stationary objects. This effect has been observed in particle accelerators, where high-speed particles have longer lifetimes than slower particles.

3. Can time dilation be observed in everyday life?

Yes, time dilation can be observed in everyday life, although the effects are extremely small. For example, the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites have to account for the time dilation effect in order to provide accurate location data. Additionally, astronauts on the International Space Station experience time dilation due to their high speeds.

4. How does time dilation relate to the speed of light?

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is the maximum speed at which any object can travel. As an object approaches the speed of light, time dilation becomes more pronounced. At the speed of light, time would appear to stand still for the object.

5. Is time dilation the same as time travel?

No, time dilation is not the same as time travel. Time dilation is a real physical phenomenon that affects the perception of time for objects in motion. Time travel, on the other hand, is a concept that involves traveling through time to the past or future, which is currently not possible according to our current understanding of physics.

Similar threads

  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
16
Views
643
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
2
Views
813
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
65
Views
4K
Replies
63
Views
3K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
14
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
11
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
1
Views
706
  • Special and General Relativity
3
Replies
101
Views
7K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
11
Views
1K
Back
Top