Time dilation ?

[1123581321]

I was wondering, with time dilation. If it occurs when an object is moving, no matter how fast, wouldn't that mean that as we ourselves are moving including other objects, everything is constantly being/getting jumbled around in time, That nothing is in phase..

 

And for my next question, which may be a little philosophical (for this section). If such things as ourselves, 'conscious' beings, perceive "time" and its effects within the context of existence. Could that mean relativity is only accountable for things such as ourselves, since, as 'time' is conveyed through us, in terms of the river of time, its effects can only be interpreted via the system for which it is perceived..

Edited September 29, 2010 by beyond...

[Gear.0]

Nothing gets "jumbled around in time". For instance, have you heard of the "twin paradox"? Basically it is a situation in which (leaving out details) 1 twin travels near the speed of light for some time and returns, the outcome depends on the details but let's say the first twin claims to only have been gone for 5 years, but twin 2 who stayed on Earth claims that twin 1 was gone for 30 years. So the two twins who were born on the same day could now have an age difference of 25 years. However, they both still exist in the present, they are not jumbled around at different time coordinates or anything.

 

I don't think I understand what you are asking in your second question. But if it helps, all we really know is what we perceive. Also, there are some things in nature that have a sort of "clock", like the half-lives of radioactive elements. In order for us to perceive relativity working properly it must also apply to such things.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Gear.0

[androstan]

I was wondering, with time dilation. If it occurs when an object is moving, no matter how fast, wouldn't that mean that as we ourselves are moving including other objects, everything is constantly being/getting jumbled around in time, That nothing is in phase..

 

And for my next question, which may be a little philosophical (for this section). If such things as ourselves, 'conscious' beings, perceive "time" and its effects within the context of existence. Could that mean relativity is only accountable for things such as ourselves, since, as 'time' is conveyed through us, in terms of the river of time, its effects can only be interpreted via the system for which it is perceived..

 

STR, like the other poster said, just says what you observe. What you observe are clock ticks. One person counts fewer clock ticks than another. This doesn't necessarily mean that one person undergoes more/fewer of the deleterious effects of aging (senescence). Some people take the "strong stance" i.e. if we had 2 identical copies of you and we sent one on a relativistic journey and left you at home, the journeying twin could come back long after you'd died. The journeying twin's motion actually slowed down all biological processes, including physical decay. Other people take the "weak stance" i.e. that the journeying twin only counts fewer clock ticks but returns to find the twin at home has senesced by the same amount.

 

But no, things don't become "out of phase" or "jumbled". Some things just count fewer clock ticks, or their internal machinery goes slower.

[Zarnaxus]

if you had particles in deep space at close to abslute zero as possibly a bose einstein condensate, would time be traveling as slow as time could pass... er would time be passing completely normal (how "normal" should be)? it is not next to any large gravitational fields and it is vitually motionless. would time there be actually slower than how i am experiencing time right now typing this?

[swansont]

if you had particles in deep space at close to abslute zero as possibly a bose einstein condensate, would time be traveling as slow as time could pass... er would time be passing completely normal (how "normal" should be)? it is not next to any large gravitational fields and it is vitually motionless. would time there be actually slower than how i am experiencing time right now typing this?

 

Time passes slower in a gravity well or when at some speed. In your own (rest) frame, far from a gravity well, is as fast as time will pass. All of this relative to some other observer, of course.

[Zarnaxus]

Time passes slower in a gravity well or when at some speed. In your own (rest) frame, far from a gravity well, is as fast as time will pass. All of this relative to some other observer, of course.

 

 

Oh yeah.. fast.. i forgot.. i would think that this object's time would be faster or the same relative to any observer simply because no other observer would be able to move slower or be farther than a gravity field or well or.. whatever? Well, the only way i would think that time could move slower would be possibly in a negative gravity well (near negative mass), which is theoretical so you dont necessarily have to answer. but in this gravity, would time move faster than my first talked about item, even though you would have to fight to stay in it since it would repel you?