Re: Relativity question

From: Neil - Salem, MA USA (Neil_at_Salem.Massachusetts.USA)
Date: 03/18/05 

Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 10:10:40 -0500

"John Smith" <no@way.net> wrote in message
news:d1dh35$9t5$1@rainier.uits.indiana.edu...
> If me moving away from the earth is the same thing as the earth moving
> away from me why then does time slow down for me but not for earthlings?
> Many thanks.

Before I give you my two cents on this question, let me first give you my
disclaimer: I am far from being even half way competent on the subject of
relativity. That said, this is the simple answer I was given concerning
this apparent paradox. The space traveler who leaves Earth and travels at
velocities approaching the speed of light and then returns to Earth will
indeed have aged less than those on Earth because of the acceleration
involved in his trip (accelerating away from the Earth, turning around, and
decelerating when he arrives back at Earth).

Speaking of dilations of time, there was a humorous story in the news years
ago when, after a NASA space mission, the astronauts submitted a bill to
NASA for overtime. Someone calculated that the astronauts had aged more
than those on Earth, perhaps because time runs slower on the surface of the
Earth (due to the gravity of Earth) than it does in outer space.

Relevant Pages

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