High School Speed vs. time for our Galaxy and an Observer

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The discussion centers on the effects of relative motion on time perception, using a hypothetical scenario where the Earth and solar system move at 1,000,000 mph. It emphasizes that in a specific frame of reference, one could appear stationary while moving at the same speed in the opposite direction. However, this perspective is arbitrary, as motion is relative and varies across different frames of reference. Observers in different frames will perceive time differently, with each party seeing the other's clocks as ticking slower. Ultimately, the conversation illustrates the symmetry of time dilation in relative motion scenarios.
zuz
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Lets just say for the sake of argument that the earth, sun, solar system, galaxy were all moving due north at 1,000,000 miles an hour. If you were to travel due south at 1,000,000 mph you would basically be not moving at all. How would this affect time for you or anyone observing you?
 
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zuz said:
Lets just say for the sake of argument that the earth, sun, solar system, galaxy were all moving due north at 1,000,000 miles an hour. If you were to travel due south at 1,000,000 mph you would basically be not moving at all. How would this affect time for you or anyone observing you?
Yes, there is a frame of reference such that if the solar system were moving at N mph in one direction and you were moving at N mph in the opposite direction IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM'S FRAME OF REFERENCE you would be stationary in the first FOR. So what? That's how motion works.

EDIT: If you mean that the solar system and you are moving in the SAME frame of reference then your statement that you would not be moving makes no sense, as that is NOT how motion works.
 
phinds said:
That's how motion works.
There is also this (tongue-in-cheek) theorem

Theorem
The center of mass of the Universe is at absolute rest.
Proof (reductio ad absurdum)
If it moved, where would it go?"
 
zuz said:
Lets just say for the sake of argument that the earth, sun, solar system, galaxy were all moving due north at 1,000,000 miles an hour.
You're just picking an arbitrary frame of reference here, but ok.
zuz said:
If you were to travel due south at 1,000,000 mph you would basically be not moving at all.
No, you'd be stationary in the frame of reference you chose arbitrarily earlier. In all other frames you're moving.
zuz said:
How would this affect time for you or anyone observing you?
Just the same as always. Your clocks look normal to you and everyone else's (well, those in motion relative to you) tick slow. Everyone else says their clocks look normal and yours tick slow. It's symmetric. No, that's not a contradiction.
 
Last edited:

Thread 'Reference frames, center of rotation, etc'

Topic about reference frames, center of rotation, postion of origin etc Comoving ref. frame is frame that is attached to moving object, does that mean, in that frame translation and rotation of object is zero, because origin and axes(x,y,z) are fixed to object? Is it same if you place origin of frame at object center of mass or at object tail? What type of comoving frame exist? What is lab frame? If we talk about center of rotation do we always need to specified from what frame we observe?
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