The Twins Paradox: Understanding the Slow-Motion Effect

[Starlover]

I've read different reasons for the reciprocal illusion experienced by the twins (the slow-motion effect). I've not been able to understand the reason that the traveling twin would see the earthbound twin moving in slo-mo. Can anyone offer a simple explanation -- or is there actually no agreement on this within the physics community?

Thank you very much!

 

[Matterwave]

There is certainly agreement that the traveling twin would also see the Earth bound twin's time being dilated (moving in slow-mo as you say). This is due to the fact that in special relativity neither frame, the Earth frame, nor the traveling frame, is special (until the traveling twin has to slow down and come back). Thus, there is no way to assign the "traveling twin" as being the one that is actually traveling, rather than the Earth twin as the one that is traveling, so whatever the "traveling twin" sees, the Earth twin must see the mirror image of that.

 

[Nugatory]

Please read the FAQ at http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/TwinParadox/twin_paradox.html

After you've been through that, if you have more specific questions... come back and ask.