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Synchronizing clocks in different frames of reference.


geordief

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11 hours ago, Markus Hanke said:

I think (but maybe that’s just me) that the notion of “tick rate” is not particularly helpful, since no ideal clock can ever tick at anything other than “1 second per second” in its own frame, irrespective of where it is and how it moves. It is only when you compare the total accumulated time between two shared events that differences become apparent. “Tick rate” is one of those notions that, even though everyone routinely uses it, all too easily lends itself to misinterpretation.

I think it’s used because the inference is that you only have one observer, and that observer is comparing the two clocks.  That observer can’t be in both frames, so the notion that clocks tick at 1 second per second in its own frame is true but moot.

 

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