Time Relative to Position: Yes

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the concept of time in relation to position and movement through space, focusing on how different speeds can affect the passage of time as perceived by observers. The scope includes theoretical implications and conceptual clarifications rather than mathematical proofs or experimental data.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes that time is relative to position, suggesting that moving quickly around the Earth could result in experiencing time differently compared to someone who remains stationary.
  • Another participant supports the idea by explaining that if two synchronized clocks are compared after one has moved, they will show different times, indicating that time is affected by motion through space.
  • A later reply emphasizes that while one can experience time differently by moving, one cannot actually "get younger," but rather can slow down the aging process as perceived by a clock.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of time relativity, with some supporting the idea that time can be experienced differently based on movement, while others clarify limitations on how this affects aging and the concept of getting younger. No consensus is reached regarding the interpretations of these phenomena.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not delve into the mathematical underpinnings of time dilation or provide detailed experimental evidence beyond anecdotal references to synchronized clocks and airplane experiments. The discussion remains largely conceptual and speculative.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring concepts of time in physics, particularly in relation to relativity and the effects of motion on time perception.

Blop
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Okay, this is my first post, and I'll have you know that I'm just an amateur. So, I'm not going to get into any complicated mathematics. So basically, is time relative to position?
Hypothesis: Yes, it is.
Reason: Well, here's a dumbed down version. The Earth's rotation around the sun is what makes the man-made "time". If you were to run around the Earth really fast, you would not be going forward in time, but not in the traditional sense. If you were to do what was previously stated, at some point, you would end up on a different day, but then get younger once you end up at the point you started. Minutephysics said "If you were to run around the block, you would be a 0.000000000000003 seconds younger than your friend, who stayed at home." At first, I didn't get it. Then, I realized it was simple wordplay. If you walked around the block, you would be traveling in time, but only by a small fraction of a second, because a block isn't that big of a distance. Then, going back to the house, you would be retracing those 0.000000000000003 seconds, and getting younger.
 

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Is an apple relative to a banana?

The amount of time that passes for you depends on the way you move through space. If have a very precise clock, synchronize it with the clock of your friend, run around the block, and then compare clocks again, you'll see a tiny difference between the clocks. This is not a play on words, you actually see the two clocks showing different values.
This experiment has been done (using airplanes, as they are faster than running).
 
mfb said:
Is an apple relative to a banana?

The amount of time that passes for you depends on the way you move through space. If have a very precise clock, synchronize it with the clock of your friend, run around the block, and then compare clocks again, you'll see a tiny difference between the clocks. This is not a play on words, you actually see the two clocks showing different values.
This experiment has been done (using airplanes, as they are faster than running).

Thanks for not trolling me! I can see it clearly now.
 
You can slow down your aging by running around the Earth, but you can't "get younger". You can slow down a clock, but you can't make it run backwards.
 

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