Undergrad Relativity of Time for Two Observers

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The discussion revolves around the relativity of time as experienced by two observers, A and B, during a moment of contact while A oscillates on a spring and B remains stationary. It highlights the complexities of time measurement in different reference frames, emphasizing that while both observers agree on the occurrence of a single event (their touch), they measure different elapsed times due to their relative motion. The conversation clarifies that although both clocks may read the same at the moment of contact, they will not remain synchronized over time due to the effects of relativity. The concept of the momentarily co-moving inertial frame (MCIF) is introduced, underscoring that A's non-inertial frame complicates the analysis. Ultimately, the key takeaway is that while observers can agree on the occurrence of an event, their measurements of time between events will differ based on their relative motion.
  • #31
russ_watters said:
I think it's more like saying I'm 100 miles from Pittsburgh and youre 1000 miles from Pittsburgh and that's a contradiction because it means Pittsburgh is in two places at once.
Or is it like I took a 100 mile round trip beginning and ending at Pittsburgh and you took a 1000 mile round trip beginning and ending at Pittsburgh and that's a contradiction because it means Pittsburgh is in two places at once.
 
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