Time Dilation Explained: Feynman Lectures 15-4

In summary: Other good books are "Introducing Einstein's Relativity" by Ray D'Inverno and "Special Relativity" by A. P. French.In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of time dilation in special relativity and the confusion surrounding its explanation. The Feynman Lectures are mentioned as a source of information, but the speaker also suggests other books such as "Special Relativity" by A.P. French and "Spacetime Physics" by Taylor & Wheeler. The use of relativistic mass and the geometric view of spacetime are also mentioned as important concepts to understand in order to fully grasp the concept of time dilation.
  • #1
Jazzyrohan
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Feynman Lectures 15-4 Transformation of time first para
http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/I_15.html
How is it possible that the moving clock slows down and also shows more time elapsed to the man outside?
 
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  • #2
@Jazzyrohan I don't know where all the HTML cruft in the first paragraph your post is coming form, but it makes it unreadable.

However, the last sentence is readable and can be answered without even having to read the rest of your post:

Jazzyrohan said:
How is it possible that the moving clock slows down and also shows more time elapsed to the man outside?

It shows less time elapsed to the man outside. That is what "running slow" means.
 
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  • #3
All I see is a pair of broken image tags. You are aware that the Feynman lectures are available online? What diagram/equation/section/whatever are you talking about?
 
  • #4
Ibix said:
All I see is a pair of broken image tags. You are aware that the Feynman lectures are available online? What diagram/equation/section/whatever are you talking about?
Please do take a look now.
 
  • #5
PeterDonis said:
@Jazzyrohan I don't know where all the HTML cruft in the first paragraph your post is coming form, but it makes it unreadable.

However, the last sentence is readable and can be answered without even having to read the rest of your post:
It shows less time elapsed to the man outside. That is what "running slow" means.
Please do take a look now.
 
  • #6
Jazzyrohan said:
Please do take a look now.
That agrees with what Peter said. The "outside" observer's watch measures more ticks (by a factor of ##1/\sqrt{1-u^2tc^2}##) because the "moving" observer's watch ticks slow.
 
  • #7
Jazzyrohan said:
Please do take a look now.

The wording is confusing. The last sentence should read: "That is, when the clock in the spaceship records 1 second elapsed, as seen by the man in the ship, the clock carried by the man outside shows ##1 / \sqrt{1 - u^2 / c^2}## second to the man outside."
 
  • #8
PeterDonis said:
The wording is confusing. The last sentence should read: "That is, when the clock in the spaceship records 1 second elapsed, as seen by the man in the ship, the clock carried by the man outside shows ##1 / \sqrt{1 - u^2 / c^2}## second to the man outside."
Why is it that every material I am reading on Special Relativity is consisting of confusing wordings? I am stuck on understanding time dilation due to this.I am thinking of reading Special Relativity by AP French now.Will that be a good choice?
 
  • #9
Jazzyrohan said:
Why is it that every material I am reading on Special Relativity is consisting of confusing wordings?

What material have you read? The Feynman Lectures are generally good, but that's not to say they're perfect, and they are not specialized for teaching SR.

Jazzyrohan said:
I am thinking of reading Special Relativity by AP French now.Will that be a good choice?

Unfortunately I have not read that book so I can't comment on it. My usual suggestion is Taylor & Wheeler's Spacetime Physics.
 
  • #10
French's book is very good but old-fashioned. He discusses experimental evidence at length and covers a lot of ground (including Terrell rotation if I remember correctly). Old-fashioned because he uses relativistic mass and he doesn't spend much time on the geometric view of spacetime (four-vectors are covered but only briefly toward the end I think).

I second Taylor & Wheeler as an introduction.
 

What is time dilation?

Time dilation is a phenomenon in which time passes differently for two observers who are moving relative to each other. This is a consequence of Einstein's theory of relativity and is caused by differences in the speed of light and the laws of physics.

How does time dilation work?

Time dilation occurs because of the relationship between time and space. As an object moves faster through space, its perceived time slows down. This is due to the fact that the speed of light is constant, and as an object's velocity increases, it takes longer for light to travel between two points, causing time to appear to slow down.

What causes time dilation?

Time dilation is caused by relative motion between two objects. This can be between two objects moving at different speeds or between an object and a gravitational field. In both cases, the perceived time for the moving object will be slower compared to the stationary object.

Is time dilation real?

Yes, time dilation is a real phenomenon that has been observed and confirmed through various experiments and technological advancements. It is an important concept in understanding the nature of space and time and has been a key component of modern physics.

What are some real-world examples of time dilation?

One famous example of time dilation is the Twin Paradox, in which one twin travels to space at high speeds and returns to Earth to find that they have aged slower than their twin who stayed on Earth. Another example is the Global Positioning System (GPS), which has to account for time dilation in order to function accurately.

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