Twin Paradox: Jerry vs Tom's Time Dilation

In summary, the twin paradox involves one twin, Jerry, traveling to outer space and back to Earth while the other twin, Tom, remains on Earth. Due to relativity time dilation, Tom will see Jerry's time moving slower, and vice versa. When Jerry reaches Earth, still moving in his spacecraft, he will see Tom as younger. However, when the spacecraft lands and Jerry sees Tom again, Tom will appear older. This phenomenon has been extensively discussed on this forum before.
  • #1
choon_min
4
0
form twin paradox, let say Jerry is the one go travel to outer space then back to Earth and Tom is the one stay in earth.

From relativity time dilation,Tom will see time in Jerry will be slower and also for Jerry will see Tom time move slower.

So, just at the time Jerry reach the earth(he spacecraft still moving), he will see Tom actually younger than him. But when the spacecraft land on earth, Jerry now see Tom is older than him. So, what actually happen here? thks
 
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  • #2
Have you tried searching this forum for previous discussions? There have been many threads on the twin paradox!
 
  • #3


The Twin Paradox is a classic thought experiment that illustrates the effects of time dilation in the theory of relativity. In this scenario, Jerry and Tom are twin brothers, with Jerry being the one who travels to outer space and back while Tom stays on Earth.

According to the theory of relativity, time is relative and can be affected by factors such as speed and gravity. In this case, Jerry is traveling at high speeds in his spacecraft, which causes time to pass slower for him compared to Tom, who is stationary on Earth. This is known as time dilation.

So, when Jerry returns to Earth after his journey, he would have experienced less time than Tom, making him younger from Tom's perspective. However, when Jerry's spacecraft lands on Earth and he is reunited with Tom, he would see that Tom has aged more than him, making Tom appear older.

This may seem contradictory, but it is a result of the different frames of reference for Jerry and Tom. Jerry experienced time at a slower rate due to his high speeds, while Tom experienced time at a normal pace on Earth. This difference in time is what causes the paradox.

In reality, there is no paradox because both Jerry and Tom are correct in their observations. Time dilation is a proven phenomenon in the theory of relativity and has been observed in experiments involving high-speed particles. So, in this scenario, while Jerry and Tom may appear to have aged differently, they have both experienced time according to their own frames of reference.

In conclusion, the Twin Paradox highlights the fascinating concept of time dilation in the theory of relativity. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is a fundamental aspect of our understanding of the universe.
 

1. What is the Twin Paradox?

The Twin Paradox is a thought experiment in the theory of relativity that explores the concept of time dilation. It involves two twins, one of whom travels at high speeds through space while the other remains on Earth. When the traveling twin returns, they have aged less than the twin who stayed on Earth, leading to a paradoxical difference in their ages.

2. Who are Jerry and Tom in the Twin Paradox?

Jerry and Tom are fictional characters often used in the Twin Paradox thought experiment. Jerry is the twin who stays on Earth while Tom is the one who travels through space at high speeds.

3. How does time dilation occur in the Twin Paradox?

Time dilation occurs in the Twin Paradox due to the effects of special relativity. As Tom travels at high speeds, time moves slower for him compared to Jerry who is stationary on Earth. This means that when Tom returns, he has aged less than Jerry, leading to a paradoxical difference in their ages.

4. Why does the Twin Paradox seem to violate the principle of relativity?

The Twin Paradox seems to violate the principle of relativity because it appears to show that one twin is younger than the other, even though both twins are moving at constant speeds relative to each other. This goes against the idea that all inertial frames of reference are equally valid.

5. Is the Twin Paradox a real phenomenon?

While the Twin Paradox is a thought experiment, it does have real-world applications. Time dilation has been observed in experiments with high-speed particles, and it is also a factor in GPS technology. However, the Twin Paradox itself cannot occur in reality as it requires one twin to travel at speeds close to the speed of light, which is currently impossible for humans.

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