Understanding Time Dilation: Explained with an Everyday Example | Help Needed"

[logearav]

Time Dilation --- Help needed

Homework Statement

Time dilation says, " Moving clocks run slow".

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

For example, a stationary clock shows 4 PM and at the same 4 PM a spacecraft moves with a clock inside it showing the same 4 PM. Now after an hour, the spacecraft returns to earth. The stationary clock will show 5 PM. I presume the clock in the spacecraft will also show 5 PM. Then how can we say moving clocks run slow. Forgive if i sound silly. I need clarity on this concept. Thanks in advance

 

[Zyxer22]

The idea of time dilation is that light moves at the same constant rate seen from any perspective and that other moving objects don't. As you move faster you're perception of reality has a decreased rate. Everything else appears slower to you. To find the time distortion you would use Einstein's equation:

t' = (1-velocity/speed of light)^-(1/2)

Whichever clock is moving faster is going to be the clock that reads the earlier time.

 

[Pi-Bond]

You are assuming that the observers on the spaceship will say that they spent 1 hour traveling. But this does not happen; the spaceship observers will see the distance between the Earth and themselves to be contracted, which is another affect of traveling at high speeds (length contraction). So when the spaceship observers see themselves reaching the Earth by traveling a different distance than the Earth observers say, they will show a different time than the Earth observers (depending on the speed they travel at).

 

[logearav]

Thanks everyone for your replies

 

[rwisz]

Hello,

I understand your confusion with the concept of time dilation. It can be a difficult concept to grasp, but I will try to explain it in a way that makes sense.

First, it is important to understand that time is relative. This means that the passage of time can be perceived differently by different observers. In the example you provided, the stationary clock and the clock on the spacecraft are both experiencing time at the same rate from their own perspective. However, when they are compared to each other, there is a difference in the amount of time that has passed.

This is because of the effects of motion on time. When an object is moving at high speeds, time appears to slow down for that object from the perspective of a stationary observer. This is known as time dilation.

To understand this better, let's imagine that the spacecraft is traveling at a speed close to the speed of light. From our perspective on Earth, we would see the spacecraft moving very quickly. However, from the perspective of someone on the spacecraft, everything would appear normal. This includes the clock on the spacecraft, which would still show the same time as the clock on Earth.

But when the spacecraft returns to Earth, we would see that the clock on the spacecraft has actually moved slower than the clock on Earth. This is because the spacecraft was moving at such a high speed that time appeared to slow down for it.

In essence, time dilation is a result of the fact that the speed of light is constant. As an object approaches the speed of light, time appears to slow down for that object. This is a fundamental concept in physics and has been proven through numerous experiments and observations.

I hope this explanation has helped clarify the concept of time dilation for you. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Good luck with your studies!