Two Spheres, Two Humans: Who is Older?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a thought experiment involving two spheres in free space, each with a human on board. The scenario explores the implications of gravitational time dilation and aging as the spheres move apart and then come back together. Participants examine the effects of gravity on time perception from the perspective of each individual, considering both special relativity (SR) and general relativity (GR).

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes that as the spheres move apart, one human experiences a lesser gravitational field, suggesting that upon reuniting, he should have aged less than the other.
  • Another participant argues that the situation is symmetric, indicating that both humans should have aged at the same rate when they come back together.
  • A later reply challenges the initial claim by stating that the gravitational time dilation was misunderstood, asserting that moving to a lower gravity leads to faster aging, not slower.
  • One participant questions the role of the spheres in the example, emphasizing the symmetry of the situation and reiterating that both individuals will agree on their aging when they reunite.
  • Another participant clarifies that in a static spacetime, gravitational time dilation is determined by gravitational potential rather than the gravitational field, suggesting that there is no gravitational time dilation in this scenario.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the effects of gravitational time dilation on aging. Some maintain that the individuals will age differently based on their experiences of gravity, while others argue for symmetry in aging. The discussion remains unresolved with competing views on the implications of the scenario.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the assumptions made about the nature of spacetime (flat vs. static) and the definitions of gravitational fields versus gravitational potentials, which are not fully explored in the discussion.

aritrasasmal
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Let there be two spheres in free space. Also there are two humans on each of them.
Now the spheres move apart and come together again(like a harmonic oscillator),
When they move apart , wrt one human the other is moving into lesser grav field and when he comes back he should have aged less than him. But to the other the observations are the same. So ehen they come together how will they agree on who is older? Will they?
 
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The situation is symmetric, when they come back together, they should've aged at the same rate.
 
Polyrhythmic said:
The situation is symmetric, when they come back together, they should've aged at the same rate.

Please elaborate on your answer. Note we are looking from the point of view of each individual.
 
aritrasasmal said:
Please elaborate on your answer. Note we are looking from the point of view of each individual.

You're confusing SR inertial frame principles with GR non-inertial frames. Also, you have gravitational time dilation backwards - moving to lower gravity leads to faster aging, not slower.

Anyway, as they move apart, each experiences less gravity (strength due to combined masses), thus faster aging, then slower, completely symmetric. Each observes the other's clock moving the *same* as theirs, at all times.
 
It seems that he moves into a lesser grav field compare to the field before the move, not lesser than the field where the stationary man is, no?
 
What role do the spheres play in the example?

As Polyrhythmic said, it's a symmetric situation, so of course they'll agree.

aritrasasmal said:
When they move apart , wrt one human the other is moving into lesser grav field and when he comes back he should have aged less than him.

I think this must be where you're running into trouble. I assume you're talking about flat spacetime here. In a static spacetime, which this is, gravitational time dilation can be determined from the gravitational potential (not the field). In a flat spacetime, there is a constant gravitational potential, so there's no gravitational time dilation.
 

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