Would we be able to completely stop time?

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In summary, the conversation explores the concept of time slowing down around a black hole due to its massive gravitational pull. The idea of creating an object with an infinitely strong gravitational pull is discussed, and it is questioned whether time would completely stop around this object. It is also noted that an observer adjacent to the singularity would see the external universe age at an accelerated rate, while an observer hovering outside the event horizon could potentially see the entire lifetime of the universe. However, this would require a large amount of proper acceleration and is not a practical method for predicting the future.
  • #1
Tryannosaurus
We know that time slows down around a black hole due to its immense gravitational pull that "streches" time, but for the sake of this thread let's say we were able to have an object that had a infinitely strong gravitational pull, would this stop time for good?

Imagine that we created something that could have an infinitely strong gravitational pull but it would only last for 5 seconds, would time around that object completely stop? Then would the 5 seconds it would last for be forever around the object? Would the 5 seconds even matter no that time stopped?
 
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  • #2
Tryannosaurus said:
We know that time slows down around a black hole due to its immense gravitational pull that "streches" time
This is quite an oversimplification.

It is also not clear what you would mean by "infinite gravitational pull". In GR, gravity is the geometry of space-time, not a force.
 
  • #3
Time doesn't slow down near a black hole, that would be gravitational time dilation. Your clock will still tick at 1 second per second.
 
  • #4
That answer misses the mark a bit. An observer adjacent to the singularity would observe the external universe age at an accelerated rate, perhaps its entire lifetime, during that second.
 
  • #5
Noel said:
That answer misses the mark a bit. An observer adjacent to the singularity would observe the external universe age at an accelerated rate, perhaps its entire lifetime, during that second.
In this case, you have missed the mark. An observer adjacent to the singularity will reach the singularity in a finite (and fairly short) amount of proper time. This observer will not see the entire lifetime of the universe, and in fact the last thing he will see is light that crossed the horizon very shortly after he did.

An observer hovering outside of the event horizon (the horizon and the singularity are different things, of course) can see the entire lifetime of the universe, but only the same way that everyone else can - stick around long enough and you'll get to see everything.
 
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  • #6
Nugatory said:
An observer hovering outside of the event horizon (the horizon and the singularity are different things, of course) can see the entire lifetime of the universe, but only the same way that everyone else can - stick around long enough and you'll get to see everything.
It should also be mentioned that hovering "just outside" the horizon would require a large proper acceleration, which would somehow have to be imparted on such an observer. The observer would also have to be able to withstand said acceleration. Not a viable way of using gravitational time dilation to see what happens in the future.
 

Related to Would we be able to completely stop time?

1. Can time truly be stopped?

As of now, there is no scientific evidence or theory that suggests time can be completely stopped. Time is considered to be a fundamental aspect of our universe and is always moving forward.

2. What would happen if time were to stop?

If time were to suddenly stop, everything in the universe would come to a halt. This means that all processes, including chemical reactions and the movement of objects, would cease. However, it is not known if living beings would still be able to function without time.

3. Is it possible to manipulate time?

While we cannot stop time completely, we can manipulate it to some extent. Time dilation, which is the slowing down or speeding up of time, has been observed in objects moving at high speeds or in strong gravitational fields. However, this does not mean we can control time at will.

4. Could we ever develop technology to stop time?

As of now, there is no known technology or theoretical framework that could allow us to stop time. Many scientists believe that time is an irreversible and fundamental aspect of our universe that cannot be manipulated or controlled.

5. What are the ethical implications of stopping time?

The concept of stopping time raises many ethical questions, such as the impact it would have on living beings and the potential for abuse or misuse of such technology. It is important for scientists to consider the ethical implications of their research and proceed with caution.

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