Re: Stupid Relativity Question

From: Young J. Putt (j.putt_at_verizon.net)
Date: 03/04/05 

Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 22:41:59 -0500

Thanks for the references. I will check them out. Too many years in the
non-scientific world have atrophied my math skills considerably, so it will
take some work to get through that derivation.

I hope you'll indulge my ignorance a little longer. See below:

> > Since there is no preferred frame of reference, why is it that the
> > traveling
> > twin stays younger, and not the twin that remains on earth, since we
could
> > say that the twin on earth is also moving away from the traveling twin
at
> > close to C?
>
> Saying that the laws of physics should be put in a form that is frame
> independant is not the same as saying all FOR's are equivalent. All
> inertial frames are equivalent - but one can tell the difference between
> inertial frame and frames accelerated wrt to inertial frames by the
presence
> of forces of acceleration. Thus the situation is not symmetrical - one
twin
> experiences forces of acceleration - the other does not.
>

Ah! The traveling twin experiences forces. I've seen this explanation before
as to why he gets to be younger. So it seems that it's the force and the
acceleration that create the space/time dilation, NOT the relative
velocities of the twins. Is it the fact that I've been accelerated in a
certain direction that makes the distance to my destination become smaller?
What would I percieve if I looked back towards earth? Would it be further
away since I am accelerating away from it? Also, it would seem that the
distance dilation would occur during the period of acceleration, then appear
constant once I reached my top velocity. Right? Why wouldn't the effect be
reversed as I decelerate when I return to the earth?

The concept is never presented that way (in terms of forces of acceleration)
until someone asks my question about why time slows for the traveling twin,
nor have a heard an explanation as to why accleration causes this effect.
It's just sort of brushed over. Is there a way for a non-scientist to
conceptualize this?

Would I be able to lenghten my lifespan by sleeping each night in room that
is rotating very rapidly? It seems like once it got up to speed, it
shouldn't bother me. Although I guess my boss might get a little upset when
I don't show up for work for ten years while I get a good nights sleep!

> >
> > and
> >
> > As I understand it, the traveling twin could, by traveling nearer and
> > nearer
> > to the speed of light, perceive less and less time passing during his
> > trip.
> >
>
> The traveling twin perceives time flowing exactly the same as the
stationary
> twin - it is only when they are bought together that a difference is
> noticed.
>
> > If he traveled fast enough, he could finish the trip in 5 minutes his
> > time.
>
> Yes.
>
> > If he traveled, say, 10 light years in 5 minutes, didn't he just travel
> > way
> > faster than light?
>
> He could not travel 10 light years in 5 minutes as measured by the
> stationary twin. But the twin can conceptually travel at any speed less
> that the speed of light for any period at all.
>
So it seems to me that although I may not be able to travel faster than the
speed of light as observed by me while I'm doing the traveling, I can still
arrive at a destination that is many light years away in a few minutes. So
as far as I am concerned, I can travel faster than light. I realize that
perhaps the way I worded this isn't accurate, but if I don't care about the
perceptions of people at either end of my journey, does what I'm saying make
sense?

Thanks again for entertaining my questions!

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Stupid Relativity Question
    ... >I apologize if this isn't the correct forum for beginner-type questions. ... > very much younger than the other twin. ... > say that the twin on earth is also moving away from the traveling twin at ... inertial frame and frames accelerated wrt to inertial frames by the presence ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)
  • Re: SR-ians lost without absolute background
    ... To know which twin ages less, SR-ians sputter, we look ... absolute, just as it is in Newtonian mechanics. ... of relativity of acceleration, which is taken up in GR! ... is that all inertial frames share the same light cones at all ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)
  • Re: SR-ians lost without absolute background
    ... To know which twin ages less, SR-ians sputter, we look ... absolute, just as it is in Newtonian mechanics. ... of relativity of acceleration, which is taken up in GR! ... is that all inertial frames share the same light cones at all ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)
  • Re: Genesis and Creation
    ... anything but substantiate his existance to me. ... Have you ever heard the classroom example of the time traveling ... To the twin staying on earth the trip would appear to take 12.5 ... Please don't equate religion, and the amazing things ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Whats the beef with Einstein?
    ... >>And then there is the twin paradox. ... The traveling twin supposedly ... >>distant planet that the traveling twin visited before he ... >>of the inhabitants of Planet X, which has been drifting away from Earth ...
    (sci.physics)